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I 



TREATISE 



AND 



HAND BOOK 



ON 



ORANGE CULTURE 



IN 



FLORIDA. 



1 1 ^y BY 




Wy MOORE, 



FRUIT COVE, FLA. 



ho..jmmJ^ 



JACKSONVILLE, FLA. 

PRINTED AT THE SUN AND PRESS JOB ROOMS. 

1877. 



rf- 



Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1877, by 

T. W. Moore, 
in the office of the Librai-ian of Congress, at Washington. 






TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



PREFACE. 

CHAPTER I.— PROFIT OF ORANGE GROWING. 

CHAPTER II.— THE SEVERAL METHODS OF PLANTING ORANGE GROVES. 

CHAPTER III.-WILD ORANGE GROVES BUDDED. 

CHAPTER IV.— GROVES FROM TRANSPLANTED SOUR STUMPS. 

CHAPTER v.- PLANTING THE ORANGE SEED. 

CHAPTER VI.— BUDDING. 

CHAPTER VII.- SELECTING A LOCATION FOR AN ORANGE GROVE. 

CHAPTER VIII.- THE ADVANTAGE OF PARTIAL FOREST PROTECTION. 

CHAPTER IX.— TRANSPLANTING. 

CHAPTER X.- DISTANCE APART OF TREES IN GROVE. 

CHAPTER XL- CULTIVATION. 

CHAPTER XII.- PRUNING. 

CHAPTER XIII.- FERTILIZING. 

CHAPTER XIV.— SPECIES AND VARIETIES. 

CHAPTER XV -THE INSECTS DAMAGING THE ORANGE TREE: THEIR 
ENEMIES AND THE REMEDIES. 

CHAPTER XVI.- DISEASES TO WHICH THE ORANGE TREE AND FRUIT 
ARE LIABLE. AND THE REMEDIES. 

CHAPTER XVII.- GATHERING. PACKING AND SHIPPING THE ORANGE. 

CHAPTER XVIII -CROPS THAT MAY BE GROWN AMONG THE ORANGE 
TREES. 

CHAPTER XIX.- OILS. PERFUMES. EXTRACTS *c. FROM THE CITRUS. 

CHAPTER XX.- CONCLUSION. 



PREFACE. 

The writer for several years suffered greatly for want of some 
reliable advice ou Orange Culture. Could he have had such iustruc- 
tious as the following pages contain he might have hastened forward to 
profitable bearing by several years an orange grove now crowning his 
labors with success. He could have done this with half the amount of 
money expended by him in experimenting, in following unreliable 
advice, and in doing, what at the time, seemed wisest. It is to save oth- 
ers such useless expenditures and to help forward the best material 
interest of Florida that he has undertaken to give to the public the 
result of his experience and observation on Orange Culture in 
Florida. 

Nor has he undertaken this without the earnest solicitation of 
many who are engaged in orange growing and have witnessed his 
success and discussed with him his plans. 

The writer ha«s not only had ten years of actual experience in 
orange growing, but he has had before him a wide field for observing 
the efl^orts of others engaged in this business. He has had throughout 
his life a passion for horticulture; in early life considerable experience 
as an amateur cultivator of fruits. For twenty-five years he has been 
iiccustomed to eat fresh from the trees the orange gi'own in Cuba, in 
Central America, in California, in Louisiana and in Florida. His 
admiration of this "queen of fruits" has led him to observe and inquire 
after the methods of culture in each of these several countries. During 
the ten years of his experience lie has frequently traveled over the State 
of Florida, visiting, at all seasons of the year, the various sections en- 
gaged in growing oranges, discussing with growers their theories and 
noting the results of their efforts. 

This little work, therefore, is not the result of tlie experience of a 
single individual confined to a single location, but the result of experi- 
ijients, successes and failures of the many, extended over the State of 
Florida. 



6 

The Press of Florida has done much to help forward to a knowl- 
edge necessary to success in orange growing in this State. Its appre- 
ciation of this great interest, and the readiness with which it has 
devoted its columns to growers for the interchange of thought and the 
discussion of theories, botli false and true, have given to persons widely 
separated the benefit of each others' experience. For this work, the 
Press of Florida, and especially the AgrlcuUvrifi and the Semi-Troplcsil, 
as more especially devoted to this interest, is deserving all praise, and 
whosoever would keep up with the rapidly growing knowledge of 
orange culture in our peculiar climate and soil must continue to read, 
as the Press will continue to publish, every new light on this subject. 
The Author here makes acknowledgments to the Press of Florida as 
well as to the thousands whom he has visited, and with whom he ha? 
discussed the contents of these pages. 

All technical terms, as tar as possible, have been avoided in these 
pages. Where such terms have been employed it has been solely to 
make the mcaniiig less tpiestionable. This book is intended as a 
Manual for all who wish to best succeed with the least expense in 
growing the orange. .Such terms as can be understood by the un- 
learned can be also comprehended by those who can command ency- 
clopedias and the elaborate work of Gallcsio. 

With earnest desire for the success of the orange grower in P^'lorida 
and with hearty good will to them and to others who may engage in 
this honorable and profitable business, this humble and little book it- 
submitted by the 

Author. 



ORANGE CULTURE. 



CHAPTER I. 

THE PROFIT OF ORANGE GROWING, 

When compared to the profit aris^ing from other kinds of business, is so 
large that a statement of facts is often withheld because the truth 
seems fabulous to those who have only had experience in the cultiva- 
tion of other kinds of fruits. Those engaged in the business consider 
each tree, so soon as it is in healthy and vigorous bearing, worth one 
hundred dollars. Indeed the annual yield of such a tree will pay a 
large interest on the one hundred dollars — from ten to an hundred and 
in some instances one hundred and fifty per cent, per annum. Now if 
we take into consideration that from forty to one hundred trees are 
grown on an acre, the yield is immense. In the quiet country, breath- 
ing its pure atmosphere, with fresh fruits and vegetables from January 
to January, with milk, butter, honey and poultry, the product of his ■ 
farm, and accessories to his grove, the man who has once brought his 
trees into successful l)earing, can enjoy all these and much more 
besides, having at his command an income (pute equal to that com- 
manded l)y owners of blocks of well irnpr(.ve<l real estate in our towns 
and cities, with not one-tenth part of the original cost of city invest- 
ments. Or, if the owner chooses, he is at liberty to go abroad without 
fear of the incendiaries' torch, »jr the failure of I'ouunercial firms. 
And even if a frost should come severe enough to cut down full grown 
trees — and but one such frost has come in the history of Floritla — the 
owner of such a grove has but to wait quietly for three years, and out 
of the ruin will come a second fortune as large as the first, and without 
the cost of brick, mortar and workmen. 

The age to which the orange tree lives, from three hundred to four 



hundred years, is so great that Americans do not know how to consider 
it in the light of a permanent investment. The fear has sometimes 
been expressed that the business will be overdone, that the supply will 
after a while exceed the demand and the price of the fruit so decline 
that the orange W'ill be unprofitable to the grower. But those who 
entertain this fear have certainly not considered the facts. That 
portion of the States, with climate suital)le f(jr growing the orange, is 
comparatively small. The southern portion of Ciilifornia, a very 
small part of Louisiana and the whole of Florida if devoted to orange 
culture is but a trifle compare<l to the vast sections of the United 
States which will be well filled with inhabitants long before the orange 
growing sections can be brought into bearing. The present yield of 
fruit grown in the United States furnishes hardly one orange a year to 
each inhabitant. Our population will likely double, judging the 
future by the past, iu the next thirty or forty years. To furnish such 
a pojiulation Avith one orange or lemon a day will require no less than 
thirty thousand millions of oranges or lemons per annum. The skill 
in gathering, curing and packing the late and early varieties now 
appearing will enable the grower to furnish for the market at sW 
seasons of the year eithei- oranges or lemons. The wholesomeuess of 
the fruit, together with its medicinal qualities, will, increase its popu- 
larity as an article of food, until it will be universally used. At pres- 
ent the production of Florida oranges is so small that it is not known 
in the markets of many of our largest cities. The foreign varieties 
ofiered in those markets, even when fully ripe and eateii fresh in their 
own countries, will not compare with the Florida orange. But in 
order to reach this coiuitry in sound condition they have to l)e gathered 
when green and hence are not only unpalatable but unwholesome. 
When the Florida orange becomes generally kr.own, and the supply is 
adequate, it will exclude these foreign varieties and, because of its 
excellence, become univerally used. Such will be the demand. 

Now note the possibility of supply. Only a small proportion of 
those sections with climate sufficiently mild to grow the orange can 
ever be made available. The long, dry seasons of C^alifornia prevent 
the possibility of growing this fruit in that State except by irrigation, 
while the estimated yield j)er tree is only six hundred oranges. In 



Louisiana the possible area is but small. In Florida the climatic con- 
•litions are more favorable, but the land and location suitable are not 
one hundredth part of the State. Another fact lessens the possibility 
of yield. Orange culture belongs to the class of ski/led lal)or. Hun- 
dreds engaged in the business w\\\ fail, because success requires intelli- 
gence, application, patience and skill. Hundreds have already failed 
from one or all of these causes, and have left the State, never dream- 
ing that they alone are to be blamed for their failure. ]\Ien in the 
very communities thus abandoned have succeeded because they were 
Kiore prudent in the selection of soil and location, and used their 
intelligence and the intelligence of others and persevered in the face 
•of partial failure brought about by ignorance. But those men who 
failed took no advice except that of the land owner who offered to sell 
land cheaper than any one else. They read nothing that had been 
written by men who had succeeded. They took no warning of those 
who had failed. Stilted on their castle of self conceit they stood, nor 
deigned to look down to the humble but prudent laborer for advice, 
till their castle fell and they left the State imagining that the "Sand of 
Florida" had proven an unstable foundation and overthrown them 
and their castle. Such instances will repeat themselves. Whoever 
may succeed, such men will fail. Whatever may be written and 
wisely written on the subject, and however published, whether in book 
or journal, will not be read by them. But while the above facts will 
les.sen the general yield of oranges, it will make the business vastly 
more profitable to the men who possess the virtues necessary to success. 
The orange will pay beyond any other fruit at half a cent an orange 
on the tree. In Europe, where lands are exceedingly high, a grove is 
considered a most profitable investment even when the fruit sells from 
two dollars to four dollars per thousand. Ten years ago the Florida 
orange was considered well sold when the grower could get one cent on 
the tree. Few now sell for less than one and a half cent, and some 
average at their groves as high as four cents per orange, and the price, 
still advances. 

Ill no business can a young man with ])luck, intelligence and 
application, so certainly lay the foundation for a competency and 
fortune as in orange growing in Florida. With the exercise of these 
he mav in ten years be what the countrv could call a rich man. 



10 

A youug niau from Middle Florida borrowed money enough from 
his father to buy a piece of laud. After paying for his' land, located a 
few miles above Palatka, he landed in Palatka with tliree dollars in 
his pocket. These he paid for provisions and went to work growing 
vegetables on about an acre and a half of cleared land. Six years 
afterward he sold his place for twelve thousand dollars cash, without 
owing a cent for anything. ]Many instances could be given of young- 
men, as well as old men, who have done as well, and of some who 
have done still better. Young men have frequently written to the 
author to aid in securing for tiiem a clerkship. His advice has been 
invariably given "Go to work raising fruit in Florida and be tndepen- 
derd and have a home." 



11 

CHAPTER II. 

OF THE SEVERAL METHODS OF PLANTING ORANGE (iKOVES 

The qucsti()U is frequently asked, " Which is the best?" The several 
methods are, 1st, the budding of the wild sour trees without moving- 
them ; 2d, budding them first and planting afterwards in some suitable 
location; 3d, planting the sour stumps and budding afterwards ; 4th, 
growing the trees from sweet seed without budding; 5th, planting the 
sweet seedling and budding either before or after removal from nurs- 
ery; 6th, budding on sour seedlings either before or after removal from 
nursery, and 7th, a grove of sweet seedlings. 

Each of these plans has some advantage over the others. They 
Jill have advocates; but which of all has the greatest number of 
advantages, is questionable. I have tried them all, but, after stating 
the advantages of each, must leave to the grower to select for himself 
as circumstances and inclination may control. 

If one is impatient for return, let him choose the sour grove, if he 
can find it, and bud the trees where they stand. With proper man- 
agement he may begin to gather in two years. If he is still impatient 
but cannot find a sour grove, let him buy the sour stumps, plant them 
in some suitable location, and he may begin to gather fruit in three 
years from planting. But if he can wait awhile longer for fruit with 
the hope of getting a longer lived tree and more abundant yield, let 
him plant younger trees, either seedlings or budded stock. If he 
wishes an early bearer and comparatively Smaller tree, he can select 
the ■•four seedling budded. If a larger but later bearer, he can select 
the .-imeet seedling budded. If he wishes an al)undant yield and the 
largest trees, and can wait a longer time, the sweet <eedling, unbuddcd. 
will suit. With gcjod treatment such tree,« will begin to yield in eight 
years, and, after a longer time, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, 
give him a fair quality of fruit; but perhaps he will have as many 
varieties or sub-varieties as trees in his grove. The sour stock for a 
few years grows more rapidly, but will finally make a smaller tref 
than the sweet. The best quality of fruit can be insured oidy by bud- 
ding from the best varieties. 



12 
CHAPTER III. 

THE WILD ORANGE GROVE BUDDED 

Yields so readily under so simple treatment that we shall consider it at 
once. Of course nature has already determined the location, and in 
many instances the location has been wisely chosen, not only with 
reference to best protection fi-om frost, but also in many instances witii 
reference to cheap and easy transportation, on the banks of navigable 
rivers and creeks. Wherever a wild grove can be found so located the 
purchaser can atford to pay a liberal price if he has to buy, or the 
owner can aff()rd to improve by the most approved methods. 

Many, however, have been the blunders made in attempts to 
improve such valuable property. I know of many groves greatly 
damaged, and some completely sacrificed by bad management. The 
two mistakes most frequently made, in the treatment of such groves, 
are, first, the reckless destruction of the forest trees furnished by 
nature for the protection of the orange, and second, the continued 
pulling oft' the young shoots from the stumps cut off for the purpcK-^e 
of budding. The first and second buds having failed, the cultivator 
continues to reduce the vitality of the tree by pulling off the young 
shoots, until at last the sap, for want of elaboration through the leaf, 
becomes di><eased, and the tree, tenacious of life as it is, dies of the 
d')ul)le cause of exhaustion and disease. It may be well to caution the 
oi'ange grower at once against the coinmission or repetition of this 
frequent l:)Iuuder. Few of our forest trees will survive being cut 
down to a stump, still fewer will survive if the young shoots are ke])t 
down for a few months. Every time the young shoots are pulled off, 
the young rootlets, corresponding to and starting at the same instant 
with the shoots, die, and the effort of nature to restore vitality is 
checked and weakened until the hardiest tree is soon killed. In l)ud- 
ding old stumps I have found it of great advantage to allow a few 
shoots to grow along the trunk, below the bud, pinching back tliese 
shoots, allowing a few leaves on each shoot to grow to full size and so 
furn.ishing the tree with healthy sap, encourage the development and 
maturity of new wood and new roots a.nd keei> up an active circulation. 



13 

Continue this until the sweet bud has so far advanced as to be al^le to 
furnish the tree with suffieient leaf to enable it to collect sufficient 
carbon from the atmosphere to insm-e the health of the tree. After this 
point has been reached you may then pluck off all the s(uir shoots and 
keep them off. In some instances whei'e a sweet bud has made an 
early start, a more vigorous growth of the sweet bud may be obtained 
by plucking off all the sour shoots from the first, init this is at the risk 
of the health of both the stock and the bud. I will mention one 
other thing in this connection : do not allow the sweet buil to grow too 
long before pinching it back. If allowed to grow two or three feet, as 
it will from a very vigorous stump, it is liable to be broken off by the 
wind. But even if it should be securely tied so as to prevent such an 
accident it should, nevertheless, be pinched back in order to hasten the 
maturity of its own Avood and leaves. The mature leaves are neces- 
sary to the health of both stock and bud, and necessary to gain a 
controlling influence over the circulation, and to draw it as early as 
possible to the sweet bud. By this means also the mature wood of the 
sweet bud is better enabled to resist the blighting influence of both sun 
and frost. Still another advantage is gained. By pinching back the 
bud it is induced to branch near its junction with the stock and so 
enlarge and strengthen its connection with the stock. 

I again call the attention of the reader to the other mistake men- 
tioned in the beginnig of this chapter and so frequently made by those 
who have undertaken to improve wild groves. Nature has not only 
planted these groves, found above the frost line, on the south side of 
bodies of water, but has also taken the additional precaution to plant 
them under the protection of forest trees. Thus, doubly guarded, 
these orange trees have grown, some of them probal)ly for a century^ 
As the cold winds from the north-west have swept down upon them, 
the frost has been tempered by passing over a body of water of higher 
temperature than the winds. The spreading branches of forest trees, 
hanging like canopies, have checked the radiation of heat i)assing from 
the surface of the earth, and enclosed the orange grove in a vapor 
bath. And even if the tempest has been too strong and cold, and 
swept away the warm air blanket thrown by nature over the tender 
orange shoot, and the cold has frozen the sap until the tender woody 



14 

tissues have been ruptured, still the forest trees have stood like foster 
mothers to keep off the rays of the morning sun till these ruptured 
tissue and sap vessels could be healed by the eftbrts of nature. The 
mother, who has suddenly plunged the body of her scalded child into a 
bath of flour or oil to save the child from suffering and death, has 
not shown a tenderer care than have the forest trees extended for 
scores of years over their charges. And yet the first thing done by 
many of us who wished to improve our wild groves was to cut down 
these natural pi'otectors to a ti*ee. The wonder is, not that so many of 
these wild groves have been destroyed, but that any have been saved 
Avith such abuse. 

But we will not now discuss the advantages of partial forest pro- 
tection. The subject is of too much importance to be dismissed by a 
.single paragraph. We will consider this subject in a separate chapter 
further along. I have thus early noticed this subject lest the reader 
may do what I and hundreds of others have done, de>ttvoy these mag- 
nificent wild groves when attempting to improve them. 

Before beginning to bud a wild orange grove first cut down all 
the under brush, and then the smaller forest trees. This rubbish can 
be removed or burned and the ashes used as fertilizer of the orange 
trees, spreading a liberal quantity around the trunks to keep off the 
"wood lice" — white ant — which frequently attack trees where there is 
much rubbish left on the ground. Or if lime can be had, sprinkle this 
around the trunks and let the rubbish rot on the ground. The 
decayed brush will add greatly to the fertility of the soil and will soon 
be out of the way. It would add, however, greatly to the ease with 
which you accomplish your work to come after to take all this rubbish 
out of the way. 

The ground cleared of under brush and small trees, pass through 
and select at suitabfe intervals the forest trees you wish to remain. 
Select a plenty of these trees and mark them so that they will not be 
cut down. If afterward they are found standing too thickly on the 
ground some of them can be felled. If felled too hastily fifty years 
cannot restore them. The number of these trees which are to remain 
is to be determined by circumstances. If the place is well protected 
by water, fewer trees will answer. But l:>e certain to leave enough 



15 

trees to break oft' the morning sun after a frost, as it is the siiddea 
thawing more than the freeze wliicli kills the trees. Trees intended for 
shelter should be of habits the opposite of those of the orange. You 
wish the orange to have low spreading branches. Select as their pro- 
tectoi-s trees so tall that their lower branches will not interfere with the 
foliage of the orange. The orange tree sends most of its roots near the 
surface of the ground. Select as their protectors trees that send their 
roots deep. I have noticed several varieties of live oak in the State. 
Only one of these is in the habit of sending its roots deep into the soil. 
AVheuever I have found this vaiiety growing I could plant the orange 
close to its trunk without damage to the orange. The persimon has 
this habit of deep feeding, but unfortunately it drops its foliage in the 
Winter. The pine has this habit only when grown in a well drained 
soil. There are some individual trees whose habits are an exception to 
the general habits of the variety. These can soon be discovered by 
the use of the spade or hoe. But if trees without surface feeders 
cannot be found, then select ti'ces with other desirable qualities and cut 
the surface roots by a trench ten or twelve inches deep a few feet from 
and around the base. After those trees have been selected and 
marked which you wish to remain, you can now cut next such trees as 
can be felled without damage to the standing orange trees. The work 
thus far should be done during the Fall or Winter, so as to be ready 
for the Spring and Summer work which is to follow. 

In early Spring, before the new growth of the orange has started, 
begin to saw off the limbs, if they branch near the ground, of the 
orange trees, taking off all the toj). If the trunks are long, cut off the 
tree, leaving about two and a half feet of stump. Immediately follow- 
ing, fell the balance of the forest trees that ai-e to be cut. 

So soon as the sap begins to flow freely and the bark break by the 
springing of new shoots, insert sweet "sprig" buds, ranging from the 
top to six inches below the top of the stump, inserting four or more 
buds to the tree. I have sometimes hastened the development of the 
bud by inserting the bud before cutting off the top, if the sap was flow- 
ing freely, and so soon as the bud was known to be living then cutting 
off the top. But this has been with trees standing apart from othei-s. 
Where thev stand thicklv, as is generally the case in the wild grove. 



16 

the felling of the tops usually knocks out, or so disturbs the bud as tc 
cause it to die. 

As the young sour shoots start rub off all above and in the imme- 
diate vicinity of tlie buds. Allow a few shoots to remain along the 
trunk, but pinch them back after growing a few inches. Be careful to 
allow none to reach higher than the bud, a,s the tendency of the sap is 
to flow in greatest abundance to the highest point. I have already 
mentioned some advantages to be derived from lirst allowing sour 
shoots to grow and then pinching them back. I mention one other- 
advantage. This method soon furnishes new and mature wood ori 
which to bud if the first buds fail. 

xVfter the sweet buds have grown ten or twelve inches pinch back, 
simply taking out the terminal bud. So soon as the buds have started 
fairly a second growth, you may begin to lessen the quantity of the 
. sour shoots below, until you can safely risk the tree's health with the 
foliage furnished by the sweet bud. You may have to oceasionally 
pinch back the sweet bud. It is safest to hold it in such check as will 
hasten to maturity of wood and thickness rather than length of branches. 



CHAPTER IV. 

GROVES FROM TRANSPLANTED SOUK STUMPS. 

The next most expeditious way of getting a sweet grove is from 
transplanted stumps of sour trees. It is sometimes the case that per- 
sons improving wild groves, having budded all the trees and finding 
them too thickly set on the ground, will sell those budded stumps at a 
fair price. When this is the case a grove can be brought into bearing 
in a short time. I have frequently had such trees to fruit the same 
year of planting. But this has been the case only where they have 
been taken up with great care, with abundance of root and removed 
but a short distance. But even wdiere this early fruiting can be 
secured the policy is doubtful. The tree should not be taxed with 
efforts to bear fruit so early after its removal and in its enfeebled con- 
dition. It requires much greater effort on the part of the tree to bear 
fruit than to produce new wood. One of these budded sour stumps of 
medium size, carefully taken up with good roots and carefully culti- 
vated, will begin the second year to bear considerable fruit, if it has 
not been allowed to fruit the year of planting. The third year such a 
tree will begin to pay a good interest on the investment of purchase- 
money. 

There are some objections to a grove of this kind. These trees 
from old stumps never grow to be so large as the unbudded seedlings, 
nor bear so abundantly. They are believed, also, to be much shorter 
lived. European writers tell us such is the case, but I do not believe 
that our experience in Florida has been of sufficient length to test the 
age to which one of these trees will live and bear fruit. One other 
objection I will mention. It is generally believed that it is hard to 
make the old stumps live. The sad experience of those of us, who, a 
few years ago, bought such stumps by the hundred and had them die 
almost as fast as they were set, has made this kind of business very 
unpopular. But I am persuaded that most of this disaster can be 
attributed to ignorance and carelessness. I am satisfied now that if I 
had handled sweet seedlings, as I and every one else then handled sour 
stumps, the sweet seedlings would have died almost as badly. There 



18 

is no doubt that the younger the tree the less risk there is in removing 
it, But the early return to be gathered from these sour stumps, bud- 
ded either before or after removal, will justify the risk in planting a 
few in every new grove, and if the stumps can be bought at a fair 
price and are near at hand, so as not to be damaged in transporting 
them, the grower would do well to plant them liberally. In trans- 
planting sour stumps too much care can not be exercised. 

Many of the wild groves are found in low wet land. The tap- 
root is small and the laterals near the surface, while reaching a consid- 
erable distance, have few or no hbrous roots near the base of the tree. 
They have also been accustomed to an abundance of shade and mois- 
ture. One must see at once that new and entirely different habits must 
be formed by such trees transplanted into a dryer soil and with less 
shade and moisture. These new habits have to be formed at a time 
whenthe tree is least able to bear the change. It is better to select 
trees grown in a dryer soil. I have, however, succeeded in transplant- 
ing trees from a swam]), at the time of taking them up, flooded with 
water. Some such are now healthy and fine bearers. 

In taking up large sour trees have at hand a sharp axe, a sharp 
narrow bladed saw and two sharp spades prepared especially for such 
work. The spades should be made to order, narrower than usual, with 
handle and jaws sufficiently stout to be used in prying. With such 
tools the work will be greatly expedited and done much more satisfac- 
torily. The time saved in one day's work with such tools will pay for 
their cost. 

If ready to begin, saw off the to{>, leaving a stump five or six feet 
high to be used as a lever for bending the tree out of its bed. Now 
drive down the spade cutting the roots in a circle two feet and a half 
from the base or trunk. Shake the tree to see if all the lateral roots 
have been cut. If not it will be necessary to cut a trench the width 
of the spade to enable you to cut deeper. In making the second cut 
incline the point of the spade towards the tap-root. Next cut the tap- 
root two feet and a half from the surface and lift the stump from its 
bed. Place the stumps at once in the shade and wrap them well with 
wet, green moss. Protect as far as possible from the sun and drying 
winds. After taking a stump from the soil plant it in position as soon 



19 

as possible. One great cause of failure has arisen from keeping them 
out of the ground too long and allowing the roots to be exposed to 
-wind and sun. 

In setting have the holes freshly dug. Do not allow the soil to 
dry before it is replaced around the roots. Dig the holes, for resetting, 
iive feet wide and ten or twelve inches deep. If the holes are dug too 
deep it is almost impossible to keep the tree from sinking too deep in 
its position, as the the fresh soil settles. In the center of the hole dig 
a deeper hole the width of the spade for the tap-root. With a sharp 
knife, and where the roots are too large for the knife, with a sharp saw 
with fine teeth, cut away all fractures and bruises from the ends of 
TOOts. 80 set the tree that it will stand, after the soil has been settled 
by showers, a little higher than it stood in its original bed. It had 
better be higher by two inches tlian lower by one inch than it origi- 
nally grew. You cannot lie too cautious at this point. If the tree is 
set too deep, it may live, but it will not flourish for some time. It may 
be not for years, but certainly not till it has sent out fresh surface roots 
to take the place of those which have been smothei-ed by having been 
buried too deeply. The tree having been put in position, replace the 
soil, packing it first firmly around the tap-root. Now press down the 
ends of the laterals so that they will have a slig-lit dip and fill in with 
soil, treading it firmly upon the roots. Finally cover over with two 
inches of light soil and leave the ground level. AVhen the ground 
is sufficiently wet it is not necessary to use water. But if the ground 
is dry use enough water to settle the soil firmly around the roots, and 
especially around the tap-root, but do not wet the top layer of earth. 
I prefer planting after showers to using water. If the planting is 
done in Spring or Summer mulch at once with itne or two inches of 
litter, and if the trees have been set in the open ground shelter them 
from the sun by setting a pine I)ough to the south of the tree. If the 
stumps have been taken from a dry soil the above is sufficient to insure 
their living, l)ut if taken from a very wet soil, be careful to keep the 
ground moist till the new roots have well started and penetrated well 
into the soil. The stump should be cut off two and a half feet high. If 
the stumps have been budded and the buds have grown to considerable 
length, cut them back, leaving here and there a few leaves to direct 



20 

the current of the sap into the sweet wood. If the stumps have not 
been budded, so soon as the bark begins to break with new shoots and 
separate freely from the wood, insert three or four sprig buds near the 
top and treat the tree as directed in budding the natural grove. Fer- 
tilizers should not be added till the tree has well started. 



A 



21 
CHAPTER V. 

PLANTING THE ORANGE S1EED. 

In selecting seed for the nursery, if you intend budding tlie young 
trees, you need not be careful as to the quality of fruit from which the 
seed is taken. The plant from the sour seed, as already stated will, for 
a few years, grow more rapidly but make a smaller tree than the plant 
from the sweet fruit. 

If you desire to grow your trees without budding select only from 
the best fruit, and from trees not grown in the vicinity of any trees 
bearing sour or indifferent fruit. All the varieties and even species of 
the citrus family mix very readily, and if grown in close proximity 
seeds from the same tree will give an endless variety of fruits, the ten- 
dency however being towards the kind produced by the tree from 
Avhich the fruit is plucked, as the pistils are more apt to be fertilized 
by pollen from flowers near at hand. 

If sour seed are to be planted the fruit may be thrown into piles 
till rotted and the seed washed out from the pulp. But whatever kind 
is used do not allow the seed to dry. Put them at once into moist 
sand, to be kept till ready for planting. 

The seeds may be planted either in boxes or in the open ground 
or under glass as quantity or other circumstances may suggest. If 
fruit is eaten in the earh' winter the seed may at once be planted in 
boxes and the boxes set in some warm place indoors and the plants be 
so far advanced as to be ready to set in the nursery early in the Spring, 

In preparing beds or boxe,s for seed have the bottom soil covered 
two or three inches deep with fresh leaf niold from the hummock. 
Place the seeds about one inch apart and cover with half an inch of 
soil — leaf mold. Finish by a covering of one inch of mulching and 
thorough watering. Keep the soil moist, but not wet. If the seed 
bed is in the open ground it is well to hold the mulching in place by 
laying a few brush on the bed. 

I have sometimes succeeded very well by allowing the seed to 
remain in a box of sand till they have started to sprout and then plant- 
ing them directly in the. nursery. In this case select a place partially 



22 

sheltered by forest trees. Prepare the soil thoroughly for ten or twelre 
inches deep. Open the rows four feet apart and eight inches deep. 
Fill to within two inches of the top with well rotted muck, drop the 
seed three inches apart and cover with one and a half inches of soil. 

In selecting a position for the nursery, if your place is well pro- 
tected by water on the cold points, you may risk your nursery in the 
open field. But if you are not satisfied about the protection select a 
position sheltered from the morning sun to prevent the too suddeiu 
thawing after a frost. I would prefer shade on the south as well, as 
the sun sometimes breaks out suddenly during a cold snap about noon. 
Under such circumstances I have known serious damage done to young 
plants. A still better plan is to clear away a half or a quarter of 
an acre of ground in the midst of a tall forest. Around this half acre 
or quarter acre sink a ditch two feet deep in order to cut the surface 
roots of the forest trees. Plow or spade the land deep. Open the 
rows four feet apart and eight or ten inches deep, fill tliem with good 
muck or leaf mold clear of such litter as would attract wood lice. 
Over this muck place an inch or two of soil to keep the muck moist. 
A dressing of ashes or slacked lime will be of advantage, especially if 
the muck has not been previously well rotted in heaps. Your land 
can now stand till the trees are ready to be taken from the seed bed. 
Some prefer putting the muck, or whatever fertilizer used, broadcast 
over the land. But my reason for advising the muck to be put in 
drills is that if well rotted it will not heat, but will serve to keep the 
roots of the young plant in a compact body. A great deal is saved by 
this means when you come to transplant to the grove, the roots having 
grown in a compact body very little 'will be lost by root pruning. 
And where the distance from the nursery to the grove is short, 
and the transplanting is done when the ground is wet, the entire ball 
of muck may be taken along with and adhering to the roots and the 
tree hardly feel the shock of the removal. When the young plants 
in the seed beds are a few inches high and have four or five leave?, 
they may be transplanted to the nursery. In taking them up cut off 
the ends of the tap-roots so that they will not be apt to doul)le up in 
setting them. The setting is better done in rainy weather. The 
ground should be thoroughly wet in order to insure a good result. 



23 

The rows can now be opened four or five inches deep and the young 
plants dropped at a distance of six inches apart. Let a hand follow 
and before the roots have time to dry set them in an upright position, 
carefully spreading out the roots and packing the soil around them. 
Be careful not to set the plants deeper than they grew in the seed beds. 
When a row or two have been set level off' the ground with a rake, 
leaving the sandy soil on the surface and not the muck, as the latter 
hardens under the influence of the sun. If a shower does not follow 
soon it is well to water, in order to settle the earth well around the 
roots. If the sun is hot a little shade for a few weeks would be bene- 
ficial. Pine boughs can be laid over the ground, or palmetto leaves 
stuck along the rows. The nursery should be thoroughly worked and 
kept clear of weeds and grass and the soil fre^juently stirred for the 
depth of two inches. 



24 
CHAPTER yi. 

BUDDING. 

Where it is the purpose of the orange grower to bud his trees it is 
better that the budding should be done before the trees are taken from 
the nursery. The reasons are, 1st, the sooner in the life of the tree the 
budding is done the sooner and more thoroughly the liealing of the 
wounds; 2d, the budding is done with greater ease and rapidity in the 
nursery than in the grove ; 3d, in transplanting trees of considerable 
size it is impossible to take up all the roots, and, as it is necessary that 
the top should not exceed in proportion the roots in transplanting 
trees, it is beneficial to cut back the top considerably. If the bud- 
ding has been done but a few months before transplanting the wounds 
will have healed and the proportion between the roots and top will 
have become about right for transplanting without the necessity of 
inflicting new wounds upon the branches at a time when the tree is in 
its most delicate condition. 

A good time to begin to bud is when the trees in the nursery are 
one year old. By budding every alternate tree the budded trees can 
be set the following season, leaving greater space for larger growth of] 
the trees left in the nursery. Those remaining can be budded when 
two years old and set the season following. AVhere trees are to be 
bought from the nurseryman it is preferable to plant trees older than 
one or two years, as older trees come into bearing sooner. But where 
persons are growing their own stock the sooner they are set, after the 
first year, in position, the more rapidly they will grow, if the trees are 
properly cultivated. 

In budding nursery stock, but one j)lan, that of inserting a single 
bud, is practiced. The graft has not done well. Grafted trees will 
live, but they do not grow so thriftily as the budded tree. Grafting is 
sometimes resorted to when one wishes to preserve a new variety and 
he has obtained a cutting of this new variety in Winter when the sap 
is not in condition for budding. Sprig budding is not resorted to for 
nursery stock, as the stem is usually too small to admit the sprig. Do 
not attempt to bud except when the sap is flowing freely, so freely that 



25 

the bud will readily lift the bark as you push it downward into its 
position. The stock to l)e budded should be trimmed so as to have as 
few as possible branches or leaves in the way of the operator. The 
trimming should be done several days beforehand so that the wounds 
may be in a healing condition and the flow of sap not checked by too 
much cutting at the time of budding. The budding knife should be 
sharp that it will cut through tlie hard wood of the bud without split- 
ting the fiber of the wood or bark. 

Select buds from healthy and vigorous trees of the variety to be 
propagated. They should not be too old or they will be slow in start- 
ing, nor too young lest they perish. The wood from v/hich they are 
taken should be nearly mature, between the angular and the round. 
vSelect buds with well developed eyes. It is sometimes the case 
that insects have eaten out the eyes. It is useless to put in such buds. 
In cutting the bud from the branch do not hold the blade of the knife 
at right angles with the branch, as in such a position it is likely to slip 
in and out following the grain of the wood and so giving an uneven 
5?urfa('e to the face of the bud. The face of the bud should be so level 
and straight that when it is pushed into its position the cut surface 
should at all points touch the wood of the stock and so exclude the air. 
To prevent this irregularity of surface hold the blade of the knife 
firmly in the hand and almost parallel with the branch from which the 
bud is being cut. In cutting draw the knife to you as the cut will l)e 
smoother by this method than if the bud were severed from the branch 
by simply pressing the blade through the wood. The knife should be 
inserted half an inch above the bud and come out a half or three quar- 
ters of an inch below. It is better to insert the bud on the north side 
of the stock. The incision in the stock should be made with a down- 
ward cut and about three fourths of an inch long. At the top of this 
incision make a cross incision, each time only cutting through the 
bark. With the point of the knife, turning the back of the blade 
to the wood, so as not to dull the blade, raise the bark at the top 
of, and on either side of the first incision so as to enable you to 
insert and push down the bud. If the sap is flowing freely the 
bud in its downward motion will easily lift the bark and as it 
takes its position exclude the air from beneath it and the wood 



26 

of the stock. After the bud has been pushed partly down with 
the fingers, phice the bhade of the knife one-fourth of an inch aboA'e 
the eye of the bud and perpendicular to the line of the first incis- 
ion, press the knife through the bark of the bud and by a down- 
ward motion force the bud down till the knife conies directly over the 
second incision. Tie in the bud with strips of cloth a quarter or a 
half inch wide, or, what is better, with strings of woolen yarn, as its 
elasticity will not allow the strangling of the bud so soon. In tying 
do not bring the cloth or string in contact with the eye of the bud. So 
wrap as to hold the bud firmly in its place and to exclude the rain if 
any should fall soon after budding. Revisit the buds 8 or 10 days 
after they have been inserted. If they are living take the wrapping 
from that part of the bud below the eye. The wrapping above the 
eye may be loosened but it should not be taken off so soon. Where 
the bud is living cut off the stock three or four inches above. As the 
bud grows it should be tied to this upper section of the stock for sup- 
port. After the bud has started on its second growth, if the stock is 
small, it should now be cut off just above the bud, if larger a longer 
time should be allowed before cutting off the stock close to the bud. 

Before leaving this subject attention is called to the importance of 
having the top of the bud lit neatly against the bark above. The law 
governing the growth of trees is this : the sap passing upward through 
the pores of the sap wood is elaborated through the leaf. It is only 
after the new sap has entered the leaf and absorbed carbon from the 
atmosphere that it is ready to make new wood. The sap having 
secured its carbon descends the tree mainly between the bark and the 
wood. As it descends evaporation is carried on through the pores of 
the bark, and the thickened sap makes a deposit along the line of its 
descent and around the trunk of the tree just under the bark. This 
thickened sap presently hardens into wood. It is this fact, that new 
wood is generally formed by this dowmuard flow of sap, which makes 
it so important that the top of the bud should come in close contact 
with the upper bark. Placed thus it is put in contact with, and in the 
way of the direct current of life. Placed otherwise its hope of life i.- 
dependent upon lateral circulation or absorption. 



■ 27 
CHAPTER VII. 

IN SELECTING A LOCATION FOR AN OKANGE GROVE 

Special reference .should be had to Drainage, 8oil, Water Protection, 
Forest Protection, Proximity to Fertilizers and Facilities for Trans- 
portation. The soil for a grove should be thoroughly drained either 
naturally or artificially. Not only should the surface water be carried 
off, but the drainage should be so deep as to allow roots, and especially 
the tap-root, to penetrate for several feet. Some think that less than 
ten feet is not sufficient. But there are in this State groves of fine old 
trees and good bearers Avith considei-able less than ten feet of drained 
soil. The sour stock will flourish on a much wetter soil than the sweet. 
And it may be that these groves that have long done well in such 
localities are sour stocks budded. Where choice of location can be 
made, and especially if sweet stocks are to be planted, select a soil well 
drained by nature. Art and labor can accomplish a great deal, but it 
costs something and the effect is not so permanent as when nature has 
done the work. If no positive evil arise from a wet sulisoil in close 
proximity to the surface, still there are reasons why a deep, dry, or 
moist soil is better. While it is true that the principal feeders of the 
orange lie near the surface, yet whoever will take the pains to examine 
the roots of an old orange tree grown in a deep and well drained sub- 
soil will find that these roots have penetrated for many feet deep into 
the earth and in all directions from the tree. Now if trees have been 
'set twenty feet apart in the grove and the soil is drained but one foot 
deep the roots of each tree have but four hundred cubic feet of soil in 
which to feed— 20x20=400. But if the soil has been drained to the 
depth of ten feet, then the feeding ground for the roots has been in- 
creased ten fold and instead of four hundred cubic feet of soil in which 
to feed the tree has four thousand cubic feet— 20x20x10=4000. This 
advantage is more especially to be c(»nsidcred where the subsoil is 
sandy, as in such a soil air and other nutriment for the roots penetrate 
to a greater depth. But there are some of these wet S(jils found in 
our State that are positively jioisonous to the orange, as they contain 
a large per-centum of salt — chloride of ■iodiani. Such is the case 



28 . 

with soils underlaid with "hard pan," a stratum, seemingly of dark 
sandstone, underlying, and generally but a few feet from the surface, 
many sections of our State. Analysis will likely show this "hard pan" 
to be a concrete of sand, iron and salt. The best surface indication of 
the presence of " hard pan " is an abundance of saw palmetto Avith an 
abundance of roots above the surface. The palmetto feeds largely 
upon salt, its roots containing an unusually large per-cent. But " what 
is fun" and life to the palmetto is death to the orange, as well as to the 
pockets of hundreds of those who have attempted in vain to grow 
oranges on lands underlaid with " hard pan." If your land has on it 
an abundance of saw palmetto with roots on the suj"face do not select 
that location for an orange grove until you have dug a few feet below 
the surface in search of "hard pan." If you wish to ascertain the 
depth of natural drainage revisit the hole twenty-four hours after it is 
dug, and measure the distance from the top of the water to the surface 
of the ground. This distance is the depth of the natural drainage of 
the soil. 

The orange will grow in a variety of soils — in clayey, sandy, 
shelly or loamy soils ; in hummocks black or grey, on pine lands or 
black-jack ridges. It does well on soil underlaid with clay or sand. 
It Avill even do well on a light soil underlaid with white sand if fertil- 
izers are annually a])plied. But whoever wishes to plant an orange 
grove should be careful to select the best available soil. Perhaps the 
poorest soil suitable for orange growing is that underlaid Avith a white 
sand, as such a soil leaches very readily the soluble manure. Perhaps 
the best soil is found in our dark grey hummock with deep soil under-, 
laid with a yellow clay or yellow sand subsoil. The natural growth 
should be tali and large witli an abundance of live oak and hickory, as 
such a growth would indicate an abundance of lime. Of our pine land 
that on which the hickory is found mixed with the pine, with yellow 
subsoil, should rank first. vSuch a soil is really a mixed hummock and 
pine. Next to this is the pine, mixed with willow — )ak and black-jack. 
Considering the ease with which such lands, as the last two classes, are 
cleared and planted, the readiness with which the orange grows on 
them, they deserve a high rank, and especially if fertilizers are close at 
hand. In selecting a location in the purely pine lands, select that 



29 

which is thickly set with tall trees, well drained and with a yellow sub- 
soil. Such soils, if occasionally dressed with alkaline manures, grow 
the orange admirably. 

Vv'^hile with proper care the orange may be grown successfully in 
almost any portion of the State of Florida, still it is wise to select a 
location which may combine all conditions favorable to the best 
results. Among the favorable conditions we would mention Avater 
protection. "Whoever has traveled over the State, not by railroad or 
steamboat, but through the country, and noted the effects of frost here 
and there upon the orange trees, and especially at the close of a severe 
winter, must attach great importance to water protection. Its advant- 
ages were known to the old settlers, as witness their frequent advice to 
those, who in later years, have gone into the orange business. Its 
advantages were known to and made available by nature so far back 
that " the memory of man knoweth not to the contrary," as witness the 
many wild orange groves to the south-east of lakes and rivers. As 
our coldest winds come from the north-west, the benefit of water pro- 
tection on any given location is in propoation to the width of the water 
h'ing to the north-west, and the proximity of such a body of water to 
said location. There may be seeming exceptions to this general rule. 
Air currents are governed by laws similar to those governing water. 
Hence, when any obstruction suddenly opposes a current, whether of 
air or water, an eddy or circular motion is given to the current. Bod- 
ies of timber with dense undergrowth standing on the north or north- 
west of a grove and along the shore of the river or lake have the effect 
of creating a rolling current of air like a breaker from the ocean roll- 
ing over a sand bar, and so, when the wind is from the north-west, 
bring down ;.ipon the grove a stratum of freezing air from above. The 
remedy for this is to clear out the underbrush along the shore and 
allow the warmer air from the surface of the water to flow through the 
grove. The taller trees should stand to break the violence of the wind 
from the orange grove and to check the violence of the air current 
upon the moist soil, which readily yields its moisture along with its 
heat to a strong air current and so intensifies the cold. It is regretted 
that some good locations along the St. Johns have been marred and 
groves made to suffer damage from want of attention to the above. 



30 

The above facts also account for the observation that tlie frost soiue- 
times "strikes in spots or streaks." 

Proximity to fertilizers is another favorable condition to be con- 
sidered. The orange tree is a ravenous feeder and an abundant bearer, 
and however fertile the original soil may l)e, and even though it should 
be sufficient to produce tine ti-ees and sustain them for a few yeai-s, any 
soil would tinally become exhausted and need to be replenished. Com- 
mercial manures can be bought, but even when transportation is clieaj) 
the cost is considerable. The abundant and frequent deposits of muck 
in almost every locality have been shown by repeated experiments to 
be a valuable fertilizer. It would be well for the person looking for a 
location for an orange grove to have an eye to such a deposit close to 
the place for the intended grove. Leaves and ashes from a hummock 
close at hand, a shell bank, or limestone from which lime may be pro- 
cured, should also be considered. 

Facilities for transportation is the last item to be noticed in thi.i 
chapter of favorable conditions to be considered in locating an orange 
grove. One other condition will be discussed in a separate chapter. 
The orange will bear transportation well, whether the expense of trans- 
portation, or perishableness of the fruit be considered. But it would 
be well for the reader, contemplating planting oranges, to estimate the 
cost of hauling say live miles by wagon or cart — an average crop of 
oranges grown on an acre, before he locates too far from a navigable 
stream or from a railroad. He can make the estimate for himself, and 
it will certainlv have some weight in determining the location. 



31 
CHAPTER VIII. 

THE ADVANTAGES OF PARTIAL FOREST SHELTER 

AVill be considered iu this chapter. Its frequent discussion among 
orange growei's, its importance to all, and es})ecially its importance to 
many portions of the State where success must ever depen<l upon either 
forest or some artiticial protection, demands careful consideration, 
^lany persons have heretofore considered it uiniecessary, ami the idea 
even al).>urd. But years of experience and observation and especially 
the experience of the winter of 1876-7 have made many converts. 
Let the reader consider some facts that may be mentioned. 

Wild groves have grown luxuriantly, have borne abundantly, and 
lasted, no one knows how long, not suffering, so far as the writer has 
been informed, even from the severe frost of 1835; and all under forest 
protection. Again, all through Florida in almost every old settle<l 
community and evenin the southern tier of counties iu Georgia, there 
are a few old trees standing aud bearing well and tine fruit. Hun- 
dreds seeing these trees have thought that what has been done once 
can be done again, and have planted in the same neighborhood of 
such trees, but unfortunately in the open field, or what is equally fatal, 
where the morning sun would smite the orange tree after a frost, and 
have failed. They have failed to consider that these trees that have 
survived so long aud done so well, were planted in almost a dense 
forest when only a few forest trees had been cut to give i)lace to the 
cabin of the early settler; or that they were planted on the north or 
west side of the house and thus never exposed to sudden thawing; that 
under some such protection of house or forest they passed through the 
tender age of their early life until tlieir t,>wn boughs could furnish 
their trunks the protection needed. As to the questions of productive- 
ness and thrift under partial forest jjrotectiou they are settled by the 
success of the few who in the face of opposing theories have planted 
and succeeded. Some of the most thrifty young groves iu the State, 
grown with less expense and e<pial to any of their age in productive- 
ness, have been grown under the shelter of the pine or oak trees. 
Many groves one year ag(» in a most flourishing condition, and 



32 

supposed to be well located with reference to protection from frost, 
some far south and with considerable water to the north-west, were 
seriously damaged, and many trees beginning to bear entirely killed ; 
but the writer has not heard of a single instance of damage to tree:^ 
where they were protected by forest trees standing to the south and 
east of the oranges. 

Even the lemon, much tenderer than the orange, was unhurt 
where so protected. One other instance. On the south or south-east 
of Orange Lake stood two beautiful and extensive orange groves side 
by side. They were wild groves budded and just coming into bearing. 
They both had the same water protection. One grove was judiciously 
protected by forest trees left standing at suitable intervals, the other 
grove was without such forest protection. All the forest trees had 
been cut down. A few days after the severe frost of the winter of 
1876-7 the sheltered grove was still as green as in mid summer, while 
the other appeared as though a fire had swept through it. Its leaves 
were dead or fallen, while thousands of dollars worth of fruit, frozen 
and spoiled, hung upon the naked branches. The owner estimates 
that if he had left a few forest trees in his grove they would now be 
worth to him twenty thousand dollars. Are not such facts sufficient 
to check some^^•hat the reckless destruction of our noble forest trees 
and nature's chosen protectors? 

In leaving trees tbr purpose of shelter for the orange the direction 
given in chapter third on budding sour groves should be attended to. 
Suitable trees at suitable distances should be left. Three things are 
especially desirable: 1st, the rays of the early morning sun should be 
kept from falling directly on the frosted trees. As the sun hangs far 
to the south during our coldest weather, tall forest trees on the south 
and east would materially benefit orange trees standing from one to 
two hundred feet from them. 2d, the rays of the sun should be per- 
mitted to fall, during some portion of the day, and in summer during 
a considerable portion of the day, upon each tree in the grove as the 
rays of the sun, direct or indirect, are essential to plant life and health. 
But in our sunny climate and long summers, shade and sun, alterna- 
ting throughout the day, are found to be most favorable to many 
plants. 3rd, the roots of the forest trees should be kept out of the 



33 

way of the principal feeders of the orange. Of course the orange 
trees should he as thoroughly cultivated as if they stood in the open 
field. Failures in forest culture — and there have been some abomina 
ble failures — have occurred only where these points have been disre- 
garded. 

The following plan is suggested as one to which it is believed nO 
reasonable exception can be made. Select a forest of tall and thickly 
set trees, whether of pine or hummock. Clear out the under brush so 
as to allow a free circulation of air and to enable you to lay off more 
accurately your land. This done lay off a straight line as the base 
of operating. Allowing your land to be a plat of five acres lying 
north and south, let this base line run east and west fifty feet north 
of, and parallel to your southern boundary. Run a second line one 
hundred and five feet north of!, and parallel to the first; so continue 
through the plat running these east and west lines at intervals between, 
alternating from fifty to one hundred and five, and from one hundred 
and five to fifty feet apart. Now begin on the east side, and fifty feet 
from your eastern boundary you can run your base line, perpendicu- 
lar to your first base line. Go through the plat as before, alternating 
the distances between the lines from fifty to one hundred and five feet 
apart. You now have your land laid off in smaller squares of fifty 
feet and paralellograms of fifty by one hundred and five feet. The 
timber on these smaller squares and parallehjgrams is to be left stand- 
Ixjg. You have also a luimber of large squares lOoxlOo or about one 
quarter of an acre each. These larger squares are to be cleared of the 
timber and made ready for planting orange trees, and each scpiare will 
be found to be surrounded on all sides by a strip of timber fifty feet 
wide. Around these squares, next to the timber, cut a ditch two and 
a half, or if you wish, three ffeet deep so as to cut all the roots of forest 
trees that would interfere with the orange. To prevent this ditch from 
draining the moisture from the grove fill it with the litter from the 
orange land and leaves from the forest. The next year clear out this 
ditch, use the rotten leaves as a fertilizer for your grove and fill the 
ditch again with leaves from the forest around. By this means you 
can have an endless supply of manure close at hand, you can have the 
benefit of the sun and the benefit of forest protection without any 
damage from the roots from the forest trees. 



84 

In sections where the frost does not fall so heavily these squares 
for the orange may be greatly enlarged. But for the northern tier of 
counties in this State, where there may not be sufficient water protec- 
tion, the dimensions given are large enough. 

With such a system as the above no man in Florida who has the 
soil and the timber need hesitate to plant largely of this valuable 
fruit, both for himself and for market. 

In the cut below the dark lines represent the forest which has not 
been cut away, the white spaces represent the spaces cleared for orange 
trees. 



I 



35 
CHAPTER IX. 

TRANSPLANTING. 

Before tlie work of transplanting begins the soil for the grove 
should be well prepared. It is most generally the case that the great 
hurry to get the trees into the ground causes much neglect at this 
point, but this policy is a bad one. The haste should have reference 
to the early fruiting and rapid growth of the tree; and they are not 
brought about by careless preparation of the soil. The soil should be 
deeply and thoroughly broken and the ground cleared of the roots. 
To insure the setting of the trees a proper and uniform depth the 
ground should be well leveled with harrow or drag. No manure 
should be used at the time of setting, nor before, unless applied some 
months befoi'e setting and thoroughly incorporated with the soil. 

The best time for setting trees is the late winter or early spring 
before the new wood has started. The ground is then cool and the 
roots in as dormant condition as at any time during the year. It m 
better that the ground should be wet and the setting followed by 
showers. But wet soil is not so essential at this time of the year a.s it 
is when the transplanting has been done later and the ground and sun 
are warmer. If the work of transplanting has not been completed 
before the warm, dry weather of Spring has set in and before new wood 
has advanced far, it is best to defer the work till the frequent showers 
of August and September begin to fall. Good results sometimes fol- 
low Summer, Fall, and Winter planting, but these seasons are not m 
good as the months of February, March and April. One exception to 
this rule should be stated. Where trees are to be set under forest 
protection so that they will escape any damage from frost, the late Fall 
is the best time, as trees set at that time are well established and ready 
to start by the Spring. 

In taking up the trees great care should be taken to prevent 
breaking or bruising the roots. As many roots as possible should 
be taken up. If the distance from the nursery to the site of the 
grove be short, and the nursei'y rows have been well manured 
with muck, and the ground is wet at the time of lifting the 



36 

trees from the uursery, much of the soil cau be takea aloug with the 
roots. Immediately on lifting the roots from the ground they should 
be trimmed with a sharp knife wherever they are found to have been 
bruised or broken. The lower part of the tap-root also should be cut 
off to prevent its doubling up on being reset. Twelve or eighteen 
inche,s is sufficiently long for the tap-root. Put the tree under shade 
and cover the roots with wet moss as soon as possible. Do not allow 
the fibrous roots to dry, as they are very delicate and soon perish. 
Keep them protected up to the moment of setting, taking but one tree 
at a time from its covering of moss. To insure still further against 
damage to the tender roots, have on hand a half barrel of muck made 
into a thin paste and as fast as the trees are lifted and the roots 
trimmed, jjlunge the roots into this paste, take them out and wrap in 

moss. 

The holes for the trees should be freshly dug. The work of set- 
ting is easily and rapidly done by three hands working togethei* — one to 
dig the holes, one to prune and set the tree, and a third to fill in. The 
holes should be dug in the shape of an inverted saucer or truncated 
cone with about two inches of the top cut off. Proceed thus : Around 
the stake which marks the place for the tap-root, with a shovel or hoe 
take aAvay the soil, letting the tool strike the top of the soil at the 
stake and continue to dig deeper into the soil until at a distance of 
eighteen inches from the stake it has penetrated six inches below^ the 
surface. Proceed thus around the stake until it is completed. This 
gives the gi'eatest depth of the hole on the outer edge, or perimeter of 
the circle. Now take up the stake, cut two inches of the top oft' the 
cone. Where the stake stood, push down the spade by working it 
back and forth until it has penetrated the ground about eighteen 
inches, or the full length of the tap-root of the tree to be set. Now 
insert the tap-root in this hole made by the spade. Be careful not to 
set the tree deeper than it grew in the nursery. With the hand pack 
the soil firmly around the tap-root. Next spi-ead the lateral roots 
over the cone, taking care to distribute them evenly over the cone. 
Throw on two inches of dirt and press it firmly with the feet. Finish 
by throwing in soil and leveling the ground, leaving the last layer of 
■soil untrod. 



37 

Before the tree is left it should be trimmed with shears in propor- 
tion to the trimming done to the roots. 

If planting is done in Summer or in hot weather and the ground 
is not protected by forest trees it is better to mulch. 

If trees are older than thi'ee yeai's, and wild grown, it may Ix; 
necessary to dig the holes deeper than directed above, but the point 
of this caution is against deep setting. The writer is satisfied that 
more trees have been diseased and retarded in theli- growth and fre- 
quently killed, by deep setting than by any other one cause. 



CHAPTER X. 

THE DISTANCE APART 

In the grove that ti*ee.s should be set, depends upon the character of the 
trees to be set. The seedling should have the greatest distance, the 
sweet seedling budded less, and the sour stock budded least of all. 

In Europe, where budding on sour stock is generally practiced 
and land is much higher than in this country, trees are set much closer 
than is the custom in Florida. In the former country, where set in the 
open ground, they are frequently put as close as ten or twelve feet 
apart, and where artificial covering during the winter is resorted to, 
still nearer. But in Europe orange trees never grow to the size they 
attain in Florida. In some of the old groves in this State Avhere the 
trees stand forty feet apart the ground is completely covered by the 
branches of trees that have grown up since 1835. Thirty or forty 
years, however, is • too long a time to leave the land uncovered. 
Trees planted nearer together will soon protect each other. Twenty- 
one feet apart is a good distance for budded trees and thirty for 
seedlings. 

After the ground has been cleared off for the grove, stakes 
should be driven where the tap-root is to rest. 

Where land is laid off in squares the following table will give the 
number of trees that will stand on an acre: 

Distance apart. No. of trees No. of trees 

in squares. in diamond. 

15x15 ..164 180 

18x18 114 125 

20x20 90 : 99 

21x21 81 89 

26x25 53 58 

30x30 36 39 



39 
CHAPTER XI. 

CULTIVATION. 

The orange will live with almost no cultivation, but it will only be 
a Bicklv existence. I know no plant, shrub or tree, that will pay 
better for good cultivation ; none, that will respond so certanily to 

thorough cultivation. 

The .round in the grove should be kept level; the surface light 
As far as the roots have extended the surface should not be stirred 
deeper than three inches. The more frequently it is stirred the better. 
Beyond the reach of the roots it is well to cultivate deep and frequently, 
but as the roots extend themselves this area of deep cultivation should 
be lessened. After the roots have extended themselves well over the 
ground, the best plow to be used is the sweep. A single thirty-two 
Lh sweep, or a gang plow, the middle or front plow twenty-two inches 
wide, and the two side plows, fourteen inches each, does excellent work. 
It is better than the turning plow or cultivator. The sweep is much 
more uniform in the depth of its cutting than either. It is much mcn-e 
rapid in its work than the single plow. It is more apt to cut off the 
weeds below the surface and destroy them, than the cultivator. A\ ith 
such an implement, a grove free from stumps an.l litter is easily an<l 
cheaplv kept in fine condition. 

While the orange trees are young, it is of advantage to keep the 
ground planted in garden crops-peas, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, aii,- 
thing that requires frequent work and will mature within a fe^v weeks, 
partkllv shading the ground. Of course nothing should be taken from 
the ground without making adequate return in the form of manures. 
Suitrble fertilizers will be noticed in a separate chapter. 

Where the trees are planted far apart and ten or twelve years will 
elapse before the ground will be all occupied by the orange, grapes and 
peac-hes will do well and prove profitable, pr.>vided the soil is well 

'^'''' T!*no time should the roots of gra-^s and weeds be allowed to mat 
themselves on land growing the orange. Not only will they draw 
heavilv upon the soil while they are growing, but when turned over the 



40 

turf and matted roots will necessarily leave the surface very irregular, 
causing the ground to dry rapidly under the influence of sun and wind. 
Some have advised cultivation to cease during August and September, 
alleging it to be better to allow the weeds and grass to grow after these 
months in order to check the full gi'owth, and so allow the wood of the 
orange to harden as to resist the influence of frost during the winter. 
But the writer has experimented extensively and expensively — consider- 
ing results — with the above policy, and where others were pursuing the 
same policy, he has advised them to try clean culture or garden crops 
on a part of the grove, and in every instance where the land has been 
kept thoroughly cultivated the trees have doubled, in size and thrift, 
those allowed to be left to the mercy of the weeds and grass. 

Another result should be considered in this connection. Where 
grass and weeds are allowed to grow in the grove they are generally 
killed by the frost during the Fall or Winter. In this condition they 
absorb and part with moisture very readily, absorbing moisture whea 
the atmosphere is warmer than the ground, and yielding it up when 
the atmosphere is cooler than the ground or the wind is blowing. But 
to part with moisture is to part with heat and increase the cold. lu 
some sections of Europe, before the invention of ice machines, consid- 
erable ice was collected stored away and where the general tempara- 
ture was only 40°. The freezing was induced by simply covering over 
lightly, and surrounding the ice ponds with wet straw. The wind 
passing through the wet straw took up from the exposed and larger 
surface of the straw its moisture together with its heat, and left the 
water to freeze. To leave any dry straw, weeds or litter on the ground 
during the winter, only intensifies the cold and invites the frost. The 
writer knows of several beautiful groves that were entirely frozen down 
from this cause, while others in the immediate vicinity were unhurt. 
Mulching during the winter has a similar effect. In this immediate 
neighborhood an old and beautiful orange tree was heavily mulched 
during winter. It was the only tree hurt by the frost in the grove that 
was hurt very badly, taking two or three years to recover. While 
the trees are young keep the grove clear of grass and weeds, Summer 
and Winter. If you mulch during the Summei-, bury the mulching 
as the Winter approaches; dig holes and bury the litter. 



41 

In cultivating the grove with tlie plow there is a constant tendency 
of the soil to pile up around the trunk of the tree. This should be 
watched, and if the crown of the lateral surface roots is a half inclj 
below the surface, from this or from deep planting, the soil should bo 
drawn from around the trunk till the upper sides of these roots are 
brought to the top of the ground. If the upper parts of these roots 
are left bare, for one or two inches, where trees are five or six years 
old, and for a greater distance where the trees are older, these roots 
develop very rapidly and not only furnish stout braces to the trunk, 
but great arteries for conveying life and food from the soil. This 
point is so little understood and attended to by many cultivators, that 
it may be well to etate further. This development of the crown roots 
is nature's plan when it is not interfered with. Whoever will visit 
and examine a natural forest, whether of orange or other trees, will 
find the top of the crown robts from one to several inches above the 
ground and running in many instances, as great braces, well up the 
trunk of the tree. This development of the crown, is slow at first, but 
increases in proportion as the upper surface of the roots lift themselves 
above the surface of the ground. This development can be hastened 
by taking away the earth from above the i-oots for a short distance 
from the tree, as mentioned above. The principle is the same as that 
adopted for the development of the bull) of the onion by taking the 
earth from around it. The root of the plant, being more porous thaii 
the stem, parts more readily with its moisture at the point where it Ls 
exposed, and hence the thickened sap lodges more readily at that point, 
and so hardens into wood and increases the growth. As the upward 
circulation passes only through the new or sap wood, this enlarged 
base furnishes, at the very seat of life and strength, new and increased 
capacity to the tree. 



42 
CHAPTER XII. 

PRUXING 

Is universally adopted by nature. In the forest all the branches of 
the little oaks and pines are near the ground. But as the trees grow 
these lower branches die and drop off! A few years later we behold 
thousands of graceful, well trimmed trunks. Where the oak grows up 
in the open field its method is to prune the inner branches and extend 
the surface, giving, what fruit growers call, an open head. The 
grape vine prunes itself Where its branches are thickest the tendrils 
first strangle and then cut off' some of the excessive branches. It is 
the Divine plan. " I am the true vine and my father is the husband- 
man. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he cutteth 
away; and every branch that beareth fruit he pruneth it that it may 
bear more fruit." Wise is the man who will follow such teaching. 
Happy is the man who has a taste for such a work and can take up 
the vocation first taught man when " the Lord God put him into the 
garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it;" especially where he can 
dress a garden of this golden fruit — a relict o f Eden — that is " pleas- 
ant to the sight and good for food." 

It may be said " if nature prunes at all let her do it all." Yes 
and it may be said, " If nature plants and grows the corn at all why 
should I take the trouble to plant — and cultivate ?" But such a man 
will reap little more than the harvest of his folly and indolence. !Nature 
makes suggestions, but does not propose to do all the work where man's 
interest is especially concerned. Even before thorns and briars had 
sprung up, it was man's duty, and to his interest to " dress the garden" 
so perfectly planted. Again, where nature prunes, knots and dead 
wood often become the starting points for extensive decay. But where 
a living baneh is cut off', with a sharp knife, from a vigorous tree the 
wound soon heals over, leaving no scar nor injury. 

The writer has practiced on a grove of about 4,000 trees all the 
methods of pruning, and not pruning, to satisfy himself as to the best 
method. Nor has has he spared himself the trouble of visiting many 
of the best groves in the State, watching the operations of others, 



43 

and questioning them closely as to their practice and the results. He 
will not trouble the reader with the many theories advanced, much less 
with discussing them, A few essential points are all that is necessary 
to be attended to. 

In pruning, the sharper the knife or saw, the better. Let the cut 
be clean and smooth. When the knife is used it is better to cut up 
than down ; as the downward cut is apt to split the wood and peal off 
the bark. Do the principal pruning in the Spring. By all means 
avoid Fall or Winter pruning, as it is apt to start new wood at a time 
when it is most exposed to damage from frost C'ut off all dead wood, 
and up to, or a little into the living wood. Thereby the wound heals 
more readily. As a general rule cut off all diseased branches; 
especially if they have become so far diseased as to fail to develop 
healthy leaves. Do not trim up the trunk too high. Encourage the 
lower branches to extend themselves well around the trunk and far 
over the surface of the ground. If they do not touch the ground they 
are not too low. As the tree grows these branches will continue to 
droop nearer the -ground until the lowest may have to be cut off after 
awhile; but this late cutting off is much better than to have the trunk 
exposed either to sun or cold. 

Give and keep an open head to the tree. To do this, select the 
most vigorous lateral branches, leaving some on all sides of the tree so 
as to obtain a head as uniformly balanced as possible. After cutting 
off the other branches close to the trunk, trim up tliese selected 
branches almost to a point leaving only a few of the terminal, smaller 
branches. Whtn this is done, the tree will look like a skele- 
ton and you will likely conclude you have used the knife too freely. 
But if this pruning has been done in the Spring and you keep the 
"water" shoots pulled off the trunk, and cultivate well, you will find 
the trunk by Winter enclosed by a beautiful head with a dense wall of 
foliage on the outside. The next Spring trim these laterals in a simi- 
lar manner, allowing the lirst laterals to rebranch a little distance 
from the trunk so as to be able to fill up the larger area by Fall. 
Continue this method till your tree is large enough to bear its first 
crop. You can then slacken your pruning so as to encourage the 
fruiting. 



44 

There are several advantages arising from judicious pruning. 
Whenever a branch dies, it not only ceases to benefit the tree, but 
becomes a drain on its sap and vitality, as an ulcer to the human 
body. The same is true, to some extent, with a diseased branch. 
Moreover, as a branch begins to die, its fermenting sap is slowly taken 
up into the general circulation, and so the disease extends itself some- 
times to the entire tree, unless it be cut oiF below the sound wood. Thi;s 
is especially the case when the frost has partially killed the young 
wood. The writer has known quite vigorous trees to be killed, not 
only to the ground, but entirely, by neglect at this point. The open 
head not only gives room for the free circulation of air through the 
branches, but also enables the gardener to watch the trunk and larger 
branches and remove from them insects that might prove damaging. 
Another advantage arising from the open head is, it causes the lower 
branches to extend themselves far out from the trunk, and so gives a 
greater bearing capacity to the tree. Trees in the grove of the writer 
pruned after this plan have doubled within two years, in their surface 
area, others standing by their side with the same treatment, except that 
the latter were not pruned. 



45 
CHAPTER XIII. 

FERTILIZING 



Has never been sufiiciently appreciated in the South. Her broad acres 
have always tempted to planting too much land and using too little 
manure. Somehow when Northern men come South they, too, yield to 
the temptation and fall into the Southern fashion. And yet no soil 
responds more readily to the influence of manure than our warm South- 
ern soil. The manure put by Peter Henderson on a single acre would 
be deemed by some Southern farmers ample for the broad fields of cotton 
stretching around his decaying mansion. A few men are wiser ; they have 
ceased to fell the forest for more land and are contracting the planted 
area of the old land. They are endeavoring to increase their crops by 
manuring^ Such men have succeeded and are still succeeding. Some 
I know have grown rich by such a policy. 

No crop feeds more ravenously than the orange, and none will 
convert so large amount of suitable fertilizers into fruit so protitably. 
Much of our Florida land will produce and sustain fine trees for a few 
yeai-s without the aid of manure ; but after some years of fruiting the leaves 
will begin to turn yellow and the fruit to rust, indicating a deficiency in 
the soil. Some of our lands considered poorest— black-jack ridges— 
in the vicinity of dwellings grow fine trees and continue to sustain fine 
crops of excellent oranges. But these trees so located are almost daily 
replenished with accidental deposits of nitrogenous manures, (theprinei- 
cipal fertilizers needed on black-jack lands,) as well as considerable 
wood ashes and soot from the daily fires of the kitchen, and suds from 
the wash tub. The flourishing condition of- these trees only shows the 
advantage of manures. 

It is not safe to manure trees at the time of planting. In 
some instances this has succeeded very well, but only when 
the manure has been long composted and frequently turned, so that 
no fermentation will occur around the wounded roots. When manur- 
ing win be done thus early it is better to scatter it on the ground and 
turn it several times in the soil some weeks before the tree is planted. 
After the tree has been planted and once started to grow it is then 



46 

well to manui*e it heavily till it begins to bear. Begin with a moderate 
quantity, applying nearer the outer extremity of the lateral roots and 
increase the quantity every year and enlarge the area to which it is 
applied. "When garden crops are planted, scatter the manure broad- 
cast. Aim to make the ground rich, rich as a city garden. It 
will pay for the manure and cultivation if the ground be planted and 
well cultivated in crops, and especially if planted in vegetables where 
a market can be readily reached. There are several advantages de- 
rived trom generous manuring when the trees are young ; not only is the 
development of the tree hastened, but the tree is less liable to be 
attacked by some of the insects, and when attacked is better enabled to 
resist their ravages; and when in vigorous health, but is not making nev/ 
wood during Winter, it is less liable to be damaged by the influence of 
frost. To prevent this last named evil, the tree should never be stimu- 
lated in the Fall or latter part of the Summer. It is much better to 
manure in the Spring. Another advantnge to be noted is, when trees 
are pushed before coming into bearing, the heavy manuring does no 
damage to the fruit. After trees have begun to bear it is better to 
manure heavily once in four or five years. Manuring bearing trees, and 
especially when the manuring is heavily done, has a tendency to make 
the oranges split and drop off the first year after manuring; and even 
when they do not split, the fruit for the first year is not so sweet and is 
more liable to rot soon after picking. To insure a good general yield 
and saleable fruit each year the manuring should be applied alter- 
nately to different parts of the grove, laying off the grove into four or 
five equal parts and manuring the first part the first year, the second, 
the second year, &c. 

The kind of fertilizer to be used depends largely upon the charac- 
ter of the soil. If the land planted was originally heavily set in hard 
wood and the ashes of the wood, cut in clearing, has been scattered on 
the ground, it is more than likely that the soil for a few years will have 
a sufficiency of lime, soda and potash. In that case nitrogenous ma- 
nures will be needed. But if all the hard wood has been taken off 
the land and no ashes left, such a soil will likely have become poor in cal- 
careous manures, (as the readiness with which the pine springs up in 
our worn hummock lands shows) and should be treated as the 



47 

piue lands, and manures applied, containing all the elements of vege- 
table life used by the roots. 

Some of the commercial manures are valuable when used in com- 
bination with other things, but none of them contain in right propor- 
tions all the elements needed for the orange. The writer has used and 
seen used a large variety of these fertilizers, and some benefit has been 
derived from most of them. From others no advantage has been dis- 
coverable. A good article of ground bone, where the oils and phos- 
phoric acid have not been too generally expelled by burning; Peruvian 
guano, and potash, both the nitrate and sulphate, are very good when 
combined with muck. These are especially valuable when early vegeta- 
bles are* to be grown among the orange trees, as they highly stimulate 
the soil and hasten forward both the vegetables and orange trees. 

Land plaster should be especially mentioned as beneficial to our 
sandy soil, as it not only furnishes an important element to the soil, 
but, in the absence of clay in most of our soil, furnishes a valuable 
obsorbei- and retainer of the volatile manures so easily expelled by our 
abundance of sunshine. The writer thinks he has seen another advan- 
tage in the use of land plaster in the check which the sulj)hur, 
contained in the plaster, has upon some of the insects Avhich damage 
the trees. 

Green crops turned under are highly beneficial to young trees. 
Rye, oats, and barley sown in the Fall and turned under in the Spring 
and followed by one or two crops of cow peas during the Summer help 
forward a grove of ti-ees wonderfully. It is still better if this be 
accompanied by a liberal dressing of wood -ashes. One ton to the acre 
is not too nnicli. 

Manures from the stables, cow-pens, hennery and pig-sty, indeed 
from every place where waste is deposited, should first be deodorized 
by the liberal use of land plaster or sulphate 6f iron — copperas — 
disolved in water and composted with muck, and be carfully saved 
and utilized. As they are highly stimulating they should be com- 
posted^ with three or four times the quantity of muck, and frequently 
turned before using. 

But of all the manures, that which is cheapest and most abundant 
is the muck to be found in our rivers, creeks, lakes and ponds. A 



48 

good article of muck is little less than decomposed vegetable matter. 
Leaves, wood, weeds aud grass as they have fallen have been washed 
into these deposits and decomposed under water so slowly and so 
excluded from the atmosphere that they have lost little of their origi- 
nal elements. Here they have been preserved by nature, as in the 
crucible of the chemist, for ages, and now lie in rich and vast deposits 
for the use of the orange grower. Some who have supposed they were 
using muck have been mistaken. They have found a black sand with 
a little vegetable matter with it. If they had taken a little of it and 
washed it they would have found little else than sand, and some of it, 
that of a brown granular appearance, of a similar nature to "hard 
pan." kSucIi a deposit is of no value, and that containing the brown 
sand actually injurious to the orange. Some who have used this kind 
of material have failed to discover any benefit and have cried out 
against all muck. But the time has passed for this. Too many have 
used muck and found it valuable for its merits to remain longer 
unknown. Where this deposit is close to the grove the most economi- 
cal way to use it is to haul it at once from the bed and spread it 
broadcast over the ground aud plow it in. It should not be allowed to 
dry in the sun, as it then becomes lumpy. If turned under the 
surface it soon incorporates itself with the soil. After it is applied 
and turned under a top dressing of ashes or lime would prove bene- 
ficial. If the deposit is some distance from the grove it is more 
economical to throw it into heaps near the bed, but under the shade, 
and still better to add a little lime or ashes as it is thrown in uniform 
layers. The pile soon heats and drys out leaving the muck as friable 
as a bed of sand. It is then very light and easily handled and 
carted. In this condition it can be used in almost any quantities ; the 
only danger to be feared from excessive use is in piling it up so deep 
over the roots as to smother them for awhile. And yet if the crown 
roots are kept uncovered the surface roots soon fiud their way to the 
muck near the surface. The writer has had the orange roots to pene- 
trate, for several inches above the general sui-face, a pile of muck left 
for s few weeks near a tree. 

Before trees reach the bearing state they should be fed 
with nitrogenous manures; but after they have begun to bear 



49 

potash and kindred manures should be liberally used. Nitrogen- 
ous manures encourage the development of new wood and foliage, 
while lime and potash are necessary to an abundance of fruit. 

The yellow leaves of tlie tree indicate a deficiency of nitrogenous 
manures, while the dark green leaves show an abundance. On the 
other hand rust on fruit shows an excess of nitrogenous manures, 
and the writer has found a correction of this in using the slacked lime, 
from burned oyster shells sown broad cast. The lime, in sowing, 
should be allowed to sift lightly through the branches and leaves of 
the tree. It should l)e applied before the trees bloom and when the 
foliage is drv. 



50 



CHAPTER XIV. 

SPECIES, VARIETIES, &C. 

Hitherto no mention has been made of any of the Citrus family 
except the sweet orange and the wild or sour orange — bigarade. 

The methods of propagation and cultivation of all the family are 
so similar that no difference need be mentioned, except the fact that the 
citron, the lime and the lemon, are much more tender than the orange 
and need to be planted in more sheltered places. 

Gallesio recognizes but four distinct species in the family: the 
orange, (sweet,) the bigarade, (sour orange,) the citron and the lemon. 
He justly remarks as to the varieties: "The citrus is a genus whose 
species are greatly disposed to blend together, and whose flower 
shoAvs great facility for receiving extraordinary fecundation ; it 
heuce offers an infinite number of different races which ornament our 
gardens, and whose vague and indefinite names fill the catalogues." 
Gray remarks : "The species or varieties are much confused and mixed." 
Reese in his quotations from authorities makes a similar confession. 'But 
if the species and varieties are so confused in Europe, where the classi- 
fication of the citrus family has been principally discussed and where 
the multiplication of varieties has been somewhat held in check by their 
method of propagating the orange, mainly by graft or bud, Avhat must 
be "the number of diflerent races" Avhich are to be found in Florida 
where the general method of propagating the orange is from seed ? 

At the late meeting of our State Fruit Growers' Association, a com- 
mittee was charged with the work of naming our best marked varie- 
ties. They made a short report on the few varieties which came under 
their observation. But their Avork is not complete, nor likely to be for 
the next year or two. They are competent men, but their task is end- 
less as well as important. Almost every community, where the orange 
has been long grown from seed, has some excellent and well marked 
variety. Some of these varieties vary greatly. Some ripen early and 
others late. Some have thick tough skins with finely flavored fruit 
and weU adapted to shipping a long distance, while others are of such 
a delicate skin and pulp, they will have to be eaten nearer home. 



51 

Some are large and light bearers, while others are small and heavy- 
bearers. 

Man}' varieties differ greatly in color, from the pale orange, to a 
reddish orange and even to blood color. It would be well for those 
who intend planting budded trees^ or propose budding trees now grow- 
ing, to select the most excellent kind, Avhether they have yet been hon- 
ored with a name or not, as it is the qualify of the fruit and not the 
name which is needed. The name and classfication will come in time. 
Any new and remarkably good varieties ought also to be brought to the 
notice of the state committee, above named, on nomenclature. These 
gentlemen will do their duty, and Florida will be compelled to have 
her own nomenclature, as she has her own varieties. 

The orange of Portugal and the China orange, are two well known 
varieties in Europe and are frequently seen in Florida, but have 
changed somewhat by having been reproduced from seed. 

The orange of Portugal, or common sweet orange, is a tree growing 
to a great height when raised from seed. Its leaf is green, having a 
winged petiole, its shoots are whitish, its flowers entirely white and very 
odorous, though not equal in perfume to those of the bigarade. 

Its fruit ordinarily round, is sometimes flattened, sometimes a little 
oblong. The rind, less than an eighth of an inch in thickness, is of a 
reddish yellow, and full of aroma ; the inner skin is a sallow white, 
spongy and light. The sections, nine to eleven in number, contain a 
sweet juice, very refreshing and agreeable; its seeds are white and 
oblong, germinating very easily and reproducing usually the species 
with little change. There is a variety with no thorns; it is the race 
cultivated mostly by grafting, and is seen in all countries where this 
method of propagation is followed. In places where the orange Is 
grown from seed, it is rare to find it deprived of thorns. 

The China Orangeh a variety excelling all others in the perfection 
of its fruit, of which the juice is "the sweetest, the most abundant, and 
the most perfumed. The skin is always smooth, glossy, and so thin that 
one can scarce detach it from the pulp. This is characteristic of this 
variety. 

The Red-Fruiied Orange is a singular variety. Its appearance, its 
leaf, its flower, are all exactly like the common orange. ^ It^ fruit alone 
is distinguished by a color of blood, which develops it-self gradually 
and like flakes. When the fruit begins to ripen it is like other oranges; 
little by little, spots of blood-color appear in its pulp; as it advances to 
maturity, these enlarge, becoming deeper, and finally embrace all the 
pulp and spread to the skin, which is, however, but rarely covered by 



52 

the peculiar color ; yet this sometimes occurs, if oranges are left upon 
the trees after the month of May. 

This orange is multiplied only by grafts, having few seeds, and 
those of little value. This is a proof that it is a monster ; if it were the 
type of a species it would yield more seed and reproduce itself by seed. 
Its branches are Avithout thorns, its fruit is sweet, but less so than the 
China oranges, and it has thicker skin. 

It is cultivated largely in Malta and Provence. In Liguria, it is 
found chiefly among amateurs and seedsmen. — Gallesio. 

So far as the Florida Fruit Growers' Association has determined, 
through their committee, the nomenclature of our own varieties is given 
below, and such should be authority among the growers in Florida. 

Citron — Common. — Fruit very large ; color that of ordinary lemon ; 
rind and pulp white, and almost tasteless ; tree vigorous. 

Orange Citron. — Fruit somewhat cone shaped, more pointed than 
common variety; color that of an ordinary orange; rind cream-colored; 
pulp yellowish; rind sweet and highly aromatic; fruit possesses less bit- 
terness than the common variety ; tree a small, stiff", erect grower. For 
home use or commercial purposes this variety is in general cultivation. 

Tangierine Onuige — Synonyms, Mandarin, Kid Glove, Tomato 
Orange. — Size medium; much flattened; color dark orange; broad, ir- 
regular cavity, with stem obliquely inserted and surrounded by a 
knobbed eminence ; eye set in a large depression one inch wide and 
five-sixteenths deeji; longitudinal diameter two and a half inches; trans- 
verse diameter three inches; skin irregularly ribbed or lobed; color of 
flesh very dark orange; pulp adhering to skin by a few filaments; sec- 
tions of pulp easily separated; pulp coarse; juice sweet and highy 
aromatic; aroma marked; quality first. . Tree of original variety intro- 
duced by Major Atway, from Bayou Sara, La., and now growing in the 
grove of Dr. Moragne, at Palatka. 

Dancy's Tangierine. — Size small; nuich flattened; color deeper 
and more brilliant than parent variety ; longitudinal diameter one and 
three-quarter inches ; transverse diameter two and one-quarter inches ; 
the eye set in a deep cavity seven-eighths in diameter; stalk straight 
and inserted in a ribbed depression; thickness of the skin three-six- 
teenths; general properties of pulp same as parent, only superior; fruit 
nearly seedless. In flavor and external appearance this variety is 
superior to the original. Seminal variety of the Tangierine raised by 
Colonel F. L. Dancy, Buena Vista, St. John's county, Fla. 

Citrus Japonlca — Synonym, Divarf Orange. — Dwarf growing 
variety; size of fruit small; slightly obovate; color deep orange; skin 
thin ; eye set in a flattened depression ; fruit regularly ribbed or lobed ; 
longitudinal diameter two inches; transverse diameter one inch and 
seven-eighths; color of flesh dark; grain fine and tender; juice very 
acid. Useless, except as an ornamental fruit. 



5o 

Navel Orange — Synonyms, Umbilical, Bahia, Pernambuco, Seedle-ss 
Orange, Emhiguo. — Size large to very large; eye presenting an umbil- 
ical appeai-ance (from which it obtains its name); stem inserted in a 
shallow-ribbed cavity, with deep lines; skin three-sixteenths thick; 
longitudinal diameter three and five-eighths; transverse three and 
three-quarters; flesh very fine, melting and tender; juice sweet, 
sprightly, vinous and aromatic; quality first. Origin, Bahia, Brazil. 

Citrus Myrtifolia. — Myrtle-leaved orange; fruit small and slightly 
flattened; eye set in flattened depression; leaves like those of the, 
myrtle; flavor resembling that of a bitter-sweet. Fruit useless for 
table. 

Siveet Seville, {Hicks'). — Size small; slightly flattened; color com- 
paratively deep ; eye small, without depression ; skin very smooth ; 
thickness of skin two-sixteenths; longitudinal diameter two inches; 
transverse two and three-eighths; color darker than Navel orange; 
foliage differs from other varieties examined; leaves markedly obovate; 
average length about three and one-quarter inches ; width about two 
and five-eighths; grain very fine, juicy and melting; juice very sweet 
and sprightly; quality best; a superior fruit in every respect except 
size. Supposed to be a seedling raised at Arcadia, St. John's county, 
Florida. 

Arcadia. — Size large; form somewhat flattened; color deep; eye 
set in slight depression; stalk inserted in a slight roughened cavity; 
skin smooth with marked pits; thickness of skin three-sixteenths; lon- 
_gitudinal diameter two and three-quarter inches ; transverse diameter 
three an a quarter inches; color of flesh deep; grain coarse; pulp 
melting; juice slightly sub-acid; quality good. Supposed seedling 
raised at Arcadia, and introduced by the Rev. William Watkin 
Hicks. 

Bergaviot. — Form flattened, with projecting nipple; color deep 
lemon ; eye absent, and its place occupied by a nipple-like projection ; 
stem inserted in a slight depression ; skin two-sixteenths; longitudinal 
diameter through nipple three inches ; transverse three inches ; color of 
pulp nearly white; juice sweet and watery without any decided flavor; 
rind possesses a pear-like fragrance, from whir-h perfumers obtain their 
bergamot essences. Only worthy of cultivation as a curiosity. 

Nonpareil. — Size about medium; somewhat flattened; color ordi- 
nary; eye broad and set in a slightly depressed cavity; stem inserted 
in a level, scarred surface; skin three-sixteenths thick; longitudinal 
diameter two and three-quarters of an inch ; transverse diameter three 
and a quarter; color of flesh ordinary; grain fine; pulp melting and 
tender; juice sub-acid and vinous; quality good. Seedling raised by 
Mrs. Mary Richard, Arlington river, Duval county, Florida. 

Magnum Bonum. — Size large to very large; flattened; color light- 
clear orange; eye set in a sliglit cavity; stem inserted in a narrow 
depressicm ; skin smooth and glossy; thickness of skin two-sixteenths; 
longitudinal three inches, and the transvei-se three and five-eigliths; 



54 

color of flesh liglit; grain very fine, tender and melting; fruit very 
heavy and juicy; juice sweet, rich and vinous; quality best. Probably 
a seedling raised at Homosassa, Fla., the former residence of the Hon. 
Mr. Yulee. 

Old Vini. — Size about medium; slightly flattened; color dark 
orange; eye broad, and set in a slight cavity; stem inserted in a 
narrow wrinkled depression ; surface of skin rough ; thickness of skin 
three-sixteenths ; longitudinal diameter two and three-quarter inches ; 
transverse diameter three and one-eighth; grain coarse; pulp melting; 
juice sub-acid and remarkable for a sprightly vinous property ; quality 
good. Seedling raised by Col. Dancy, Buena Vista, St. Johns county, 
Florida. 

Buena Vista — Synonym, Siveet Seville. — Size medium ; slightly 
flattened; color dark crimsDu; eye set in a slightly depressed cavity; 
stem inserted in a slight depression; skin smooth, with deep pits; 
thickness of skin nearly four-sixteenths; longitudinal diameter two and 
three-quarter inches ; transverse three inches ; color of flesh very dark ; 
pulp coarse, but melting; juice sub-acid; sjirightly with vinous flavor; 
quality good. Seedling raised by Colonel Dancy. 

No. o {Beach's). — Size above medium; form oblong; color light; 
eye set in flattened surface ; stem inserted in a slight, wrinkled cavity ; 
thickness of skin three-sixteenths; longitudinal diameter three and 
three-eighths; transverse three and a quarter inches ; pulp coarse, not 
melting ; juice sub-acid ; quality lair. 

Osceola. — Size large ; slightly flattened ; color bright ; skin smooth 
and glossy; eye very small, and set in a slight cavity; stem inserted in 
small, shallow, wrinkled depression ; skin three-sixteeuths thick; longi- 
tudinal diameter three inches; transverse three and a quarter; grain 
coarse; pulp rather melting; juice sweet; quality good. Seedling 
raised by L. H. Van Pelt, Mandarin, Florida. 

Dixon Orange. — Size large; somewhat flattened; color light; eye 
small, inserted in a slightly depressed cavity ; stem inserted in deep, 
narrow depi-ession; thickness of skin four-sixteenths of an inch; longi- 
tudinal diameter three inches; transverse three and a half; grain 
coarse; pulp not melting; juice sub-acid, without any decided flavor; 
quality second. Seedling raised on Indian river. 

Sweet Seville (Tohaaiis). — Size below medium, but larger than 
Hicks's variety ; form flattened; color light orange ; eye large, without 
any cavity, and surrounded by a dark circle; stem inserted without 
cavity; skin smooth and two-sixteenths thick; longitudinal diameter 
two and a quarter inches ; transverse two and five-eighths ; pulp fine, 
melting, juicy, sweet; inferior quality to Hicks's variety. Origin, Man- 
darin, Florida. 

Siveet Lemon. — Size very small; form much flattened; color rusty, 
greyish, yellow; instead of eye a marked nipple set in a deep cavity; 
stem inserted in a slight depression ; thickness of skin two-sixteenths ; 
longitudinal diameter two inches; transverse two and one-eighth ; color 



of fl&sh dark lemon; grain of pulp coarse; juice sweet and insipid, 
with slight leniou flavor. Curious, but unworthy of cultivation. 

The Sicily lemon is well known in Florida and frequen tly propa- 
gated both from seed and by budding. But the fruit grown here is 
much larger than the imported fruit. It decreases in size as the tree 
increases in age. 

The Messina is a smaller and finer fruit, also an earlier bearer 
and smaller tree. It is generally grown in South Florida. 

" The lemon of Genoa is a vigorous tree, which will also extend 
itself en espalier (on a trellis), and bears an abundance of fruit. Its 
trunk, branches, leaf and flower are like other lemons. It has no 
thorns, and blossoms continuously from Spring till Fall. The fruit, 
usually egg-shaped, has a skin a little thick — sometimes smooth, some- 
times uneven — and an abundance of sharp, acid juice. It is very 
generally cultivated upon the coast of Liguria, from Spezzia to 
Hyeres. It is the fruit of commerce by reason of its thick skin pro- 
tecting it in its transit. It is multiplied by graft, but may be raised 
from seed." These trees (from seed), however, will nearly always 
have thorns. This variety is a very early bearer from the seed, and 
said to be of first oualitj'. 



56 



CHAPTER XV. 

THE INSECTS DAMAGING THE ORANGE TREE. THE NATURAL ENEMIES 
OF SUCH INSECTS AND THE REMEDIES TO BE APPLIED. 

But few insects injurious to the orange tree have appeared, but their 
ravages have now and then done considerable mischief, and awakened 
still greater apprehension. The insect, Avhich at one time was consid- 
ered the most injurious, was the long scale insect, resembling one side 
of a distorted muscle shell, and was called by Packard, aspidiotus 
gloverii. When it first made its appearance in Florida, it threatened 
universal destruction of the orange groves. It first made its appear- 
ance at Mandarin, Florida, about twenty years ago, to Avhich place it 
was brought on some China orange plants freshly imported from China. 
The insect is very diminutive, and under a glass of strong power, has 
the appearance of a white louse. It is very quick in its motions, (its 
movements resembling those of the chicken mite), and conceals itself, 
during the presence of an enemy, under the scale erected for the shel- 
ter, first of the egg and then for the young insect. The eggs are pur- 
ple and laid in two parallel rows. The insect when hatched, at once 
begins to suck the sap — like the aphis — from the bark and leaf of the 
tree wherever the scale happens to be fastened. It finally develops 
into a diminutive fly undiscoverable with the natural eye, except when 
late in the afternoon they can be seen between the observer and the 
declining sun when the tree infested is suddenly jarred. The effect 
produced by their sucking is first to deplete, and finally to exhaust and 
kill the branch and leaf to which they cling. Several remedies have 
been found qffectual. The most effective yet known to the writer is a 
decoction of tobacco with sufficient carbolic soap to make a strong suds. 
Apply with a garden syringe or pump, through a perforated nozzle. 
Kerosene, in the proportion of one part of kerosene to eleven of water, 
applied in the same manner is effective. But there is danger if too 
much be used. A moderate amount is a good fertilizer and stimulant 
to the tree As there is no chemical affinity between the kerosene and 
water, the mixture has to be kept vigorously stirx-ed during the time of 
applying it. Either of these applications have to be repeated two or 
three times at intervals of ten or twelve davs. 



57 

Another insect similar to the one just considered, but with scale of 
lighter appearance and of rounder form, is also damaging to the trees. 
This insect seldom attacks either the leaves or the tender wood, but 
<x)nfines itself mainly to the bark of the wood, from one to four years 
old. They are easily and effectively removed by washing the trunks 
with wood ashes and water in the proportion of one quart of ashes to 
three gallons of water. If found generally on the tree in positions not 
easily reached by the hand, syringe as before with " white lye" — lye 
prepared by boiling wood ashes. 

A most formidable enemy to both these insects named, has ap- 
peared within the last two years in the grove of the writer. It is a 
lady bug with a single red spot on each Aving case. In both the pupa 
and perfect state it is ever busy devouring these insects. Of course 
they are allowed full freedom of the grove, and are increasing very 
rapidly. 

Another enemy, noticed for the first time and during the present 
year in the grove of the writer, of the long scale insect, has ap- 
peared in the form of a small hang or basket worm " named by Mr. Pack- 
ard, (as the writer has been informed through the entomological depart- 
ment of the Agricultural Department,) Platoecitus Gloverii," but later 
named Psyche Confederata. The female remains in her case and devours 
the insects enclosed under her web. The male is a small dark colored 
moth. These insects are not a very formidable enemy to the scale, as 
the female confines herself closely in her operations under her web. 
But some small trees have been entirely rid of insects by their help. 
But if "these insects," as the entomologist of the Agricultural Depart- 
ment writes, "in their habits resemlile the basket or drop worm of the 
North," they might prove an enemy to the orange tree as well as to 
the scale insect, and if so should not he encouraged. 

Another insect resembling, when young, fine corn meal dusted over 
the tree, but when the case, in which the insects are enclosed, is full 
grown, it resembles the small barnacles clinging to the wharf built in 
saltwater. When these cases are turned over and examined with a 
glass, thev disclose under each a multitude of small insects resembling 
lice. They do not exhaust ti-ees so rapidly as the scale insect, but 
their presence is damaging. The leaves of the trees infested, after 



58 

awhile change to a dark sooty appearauce, and the tree does not grow 
so rapidly. 

An enemy to this insect also has appeared. I am informed by 
the entomologist of the Agricutural Department to whom I sent speci- 
mens of this and the other insects mentioned, that the "insect is the 
Evagoras Rubidus which destroys the plant lice on the cotton and 
orange, at least I have found it in the act of sucking out the juice of a 
plant louse." As I finished the above sentence I laid my pen down to 
go out and capture some of these insects that I might give a more 
accurate description, and found a full grown insect which had just 
pierced with his proboscis a full grown house fly. He continued his 
feast for a few moments as I watched, and when frightened retreated 
carrying his prey with him. This insect when young resembles a red 
spider. As it increases in size it changes to a salmon color with white 
spots. When half grown, or about one-half inch in length, two small 
black wings are visible. When full grown, or three-fourths of an inch 
in length, two pairs of wings show themselves, the smaller or under 
pair black, the upper pair black, with salmon colored marking on the 
forward halves of the wings. AVhcn fully grown the insect is ready 
for flight and is very active. When young it is very busy feeding 
upon small insects, when grown it seeks for larger prey. Since writing 
the above I find a description of the above insect in Agricultural 
Report of 1875, page 131. 

The wood lice, or white ant, has occasioned serious trouble, and 
sometimes death to many fine young trees where the preventive was 
jiot used — ashes or slacked lime around the base of the trunk. When 
a tree begins suddenly to show yellow leaves examine a few inches 
below the surface at the base of the trunk for wood lice, especially if 
a stake has been driven near the tree for its support, or if litter from 
the forest or mulching of leaves has been used. If wood lice are dis- 
covered clear them away carefully, pour boiling water into the cavity 
around the tree until all the cavities in which the lice could have 
concealed themselves have been reached. If the tree has been but 
partially girdled it will recover, if the soil be placed above the 
wounded part. But if the tree has been completely girdled, get well 
rotted muck and pile it for three or four inches above the wound, and 



59 

cover over with sand. Finish with a top dressing of fresh wood ashes or 
slacked lime. If the tree is not too far spent it will send out young 
roots above the wound and finally recover. 

Two other insects damaging to orange trees are to be noticed. 
These insects are very dissimilar in appearance, but the injury done by 
them very similar. One insect is a spider with a long slender body. 
When at rest its fore legs extend forward and the hind legs backward 
and all parallel with the body which clings closely to the branch or 
leaf on which the insect rests. In this position it would frequently be 
taken for a piece of moss or a rusty place on the bark. It is so very 
timid that it at once attempts to conceal itself in this crouching posi- 
tion on the approach of any person. This position not only enables it 
often to elude observation but generally to escape suspicion. I have 
watched it closely for two years and was very slow to believe that a so 
innocent looking thing could have done the damage universally found 
in its immediate presence. But I am fully satisfied that it is the cause 
of one of the forms of the disease known as the die-back. Early in 
the morning the insect is usually found on the tenderest shoots of the 
orange, and wherever found the indications are the same. If the 
shoot is very young and tender it begins at once to lose its freshness and 
ceases to grow, a little later it assumes a rusty appearance and finally 
dies. If the shoot is a little older when attacked or if the insect has 
moved lower down after exhausting the extremity of the shoot and 
attacks the stronger wood, a l>lister appears on the bark, and if exam- 
ined, a collection of sap is found just under the puncture made by the 
insect, and between the bark and the wood. The sap soon hardens 
into a gum. If the sap is fiowing very vigorously at the time the 
bark is punctured, a little sap flows from the puncture and hardens 
into gum. The branch is evidently poisoned by their operations, and 
frequently dies down to the wood of the previous growth. If the tree 
is abandoned to the insect the young wood is soon all killed. The 
young roots die with their corresponding shoots and the tree is greatly 
"enfeebled. The tree makes, however, a desperate effort to recover, and 
starts fi-ora almost every leaf a new shoot. It is what the insects 
desire and they now begin to assail these young shoots in the bud. 
When attacked thus early they at once die and the bark of the 



60 

tree begins to assume a rusty appearance, the disease showing itself at 
the points where the young shoots made effort to break through the 
bark. I have never known a tree killed by the ravages of this insect, 
but it is useless so long as it is left to them. I know no natural enemy 
to this insect. 

The one other insect to be noticed resembles the squash bug, and 
is called by the entomologist of the Department of Agriculture 
Euthoctha Galeator. This insect is very bold in its attack. I have 
watched them frequently in their operations as they were lying in the 
hot sun basking, while their probosces were inserted in the tender 
shoots. I have held my magnifying glass within a half or three- 
quarters of an inch from them and had the finest opportunity of 
observing the operations of this bold enemy of the orange. I have 
seen the tenderer shoots wilt, when the insect was sucking them, from 
the extremity to the point at which this insect had inserted its probos- 
cis. As this insect is larger than the spider, the injury inflicted by it 
is much more speedy. But when the shoot is older and more vigorous 
the effect is very similar to that produced by the spider. Both these 
insects are more apt to attack trees starting young shoots at periods of 
the year when the grove is not generally making new wood. As they 
cannot pierce the old wood they seek for the tenderest. This accounts 
for the impression that stimulating or forcing a tree produces the die- 
back. 

The Euthoctha Galeator is fond of concealing itself under litter of 
any kind during the night or cold weather. Mulching around a tree 
is an attractive covert from which they start forth, when the sun 
begins to shine warmly, to the nearest tender branch. This has caused 
others to conclude that mulching was the cause of die-back. But so 
far as the observation of the writer has extended the insects above 
mentioned are the main cause of this troublesome disease. 

There is another form of this disease arising from an entirely dif- 
ferent cause, to be noticed in the next chapter. As no natural enemies 
to either of these insects are known, watchfulness on the part of the 
orange grower is alone to be relied upon for tJieir destruction. They 
should be caught by hand or in a net and killed. The insect last 
described is very apt to conceal itself under litter during the winter. 



61 

Pieces of bark, boards, logs, stumps, litter of every kind otter them 
shelter. In early Spring when the weather is cold everything of the 
kind in the vicinity of the orange grove infested, should be burned. 
The insect is very fond of sucking the cow-pea, and lays its eggs near 
its field of operation, often on the under side of the leaf of the plant 
on which it feeds. If the orange grower will grow cow-peas in his 
grove and bury them in trenches or holes dug at the extremity of the 
orange roots, a few days after these insects have commenced to feed 
upon the peas, he can destroy them at a most important time. Both 
these plans were adopted by the writer during the present year and 
his grove is now quite clear of this pest. 

When trees have been damaged seriously by either of these insects 
the knife and saw must be freely used. Cut away all diseased wood. 
Let the cutting be so heavy that the tree will start strong shoots. 
Watch these young shoots carefully, in the early morning, for the 
spider, and when the sun is warm, fur the bug resembling the squash 
bug. Kill all that make their appearance. If the extremity of the 
shoots have been stung pinch them back. They cannot be saved if 
the wood is very tender. If blisters appear in the harder wood punc- 
ture them with a knife. It will relieve the wood which will readily 
heal and the branch will soon recover its vigor. 

The writer has allowed some trees to go almost to the last extrem- 
ity and brought them out liy following the above jilaii. 



62 



CHAPTER XVI. 

DISEASES TO WHICH THE ORANGE TREE AND FRUIT ARE LIABLE, AND 
THIER REMEDIES. 

Few fruit trees are less liable to disease than the orange, but the 
fruit and trees are so valuable that no enemy shoiild be allowed to 
attack them unopposed. Perhaps the most formidable disease which 
has yet made its appearance is the "die-back." Two causes producing 
this disease have already been noticed in a preceding chajDter. The 
name "die-back" is a general term, used for want of a better and 
more specific name or names, for at least two diseases arising from 
three and perhaps four different causes. But as it is descriptive of the 
symptoms of one or more diseases arising from several different causes, 
its meaning is readily comprehended. The symptom is the dying 
back of the new wood to the old. It is sometimes confined to a few 
branches of the tree. When this is the case the inference is that it is 
caused solely from the sting of an insect. If, however, the symptom is 
general to the young branches and they come forth, feeble and yellow 
with no marks of stings, the cause may originate near the roots. 

Deep planting will produce such symptoms. Trees do not depend 
solely upon their leaves for the supply of carbonic acid. The roots 
gather a very considerable part of this gas, so essential to plant life, 
not in a pure state, as is done by the leaf, but in chemical combination 
with other elements. This is the case especially with trees which have 
very vellow roots. Such trees send their roots either into a very 
porous soil easily penetrated by the air, or else send them near the sur- 
face, where they find a greater abundance of air, which decomposes 
manure and is essential to the formation of carbonic acid. Such is the 
case with the orange tree and roots. If the tree is planted too deep or 
the crust on the top of the soil has become very compact, these roots, 
dependent upon air for health and ability to perform their functions, 
are virtually smothered. They make an effort to grow, but as often as 
they form I'ootlets and roothairs, these die and convey no nutriment 
for the formation of the ivoody structure of young shoots, so the new 
and tender cells, which are but the frame work of the plant, perish for 
want of support. And hence the light cellular structure in the forma 



of young shoots die back as certainly as if they Imd been cut from the 
older wood. I have occasionally dug up trees so afflicted and found 
them wanting in new roots. The remedy is to reset, or else take awav 
the top soil till the lateral roots are brought near the surface and to 
keep the soil Avell cultivated. The better plan is to take them up and 
reset them. Cut away all diseased wood and roots. AVhen the 
extremities of roots of trees come in contact with poisonous earth a 
similar symptom is produced, as in planting upon hard-pan or over a 
stratum of salt earth. 

Rust on the orange (fruit) has been a considerable cause of annoy- 
ance to some growers, because it mars the beauty of the fruit, though it 
does not affect its sweetness, nor its flavor. It is a disease confined 
exclusively to the outer skin. Whether it is a true rust or is simply an 
absence of the essential oil so abundant in the peel of the yellow fruit, 
the writer is not fully satisfied though inclining to the latter opinion. 
Fruit so affected has one advantage. It keeps longer than that envel- 
oped in the lighter and more oily skin. The writer has had no diffi- 
culty in removing this disease. . At different times and on different 
trees he has changed, in a single year, the color of the fruit from a 
dark-brown to a bright-yellow and smooth skin, by the application of 
slacked lime, from oyster shells, as before noticed. Whether the lime 
acts as a corrective of a disease, or whether its presence was needed 
in the soil for the perfecting of the fruit, or whether it absorbed 
carbonic acid and so furnished the additional amount of carbon nec- 
essary for the manufacture of the essenti.al oil by the tree, the writer 
knows not. But the fact of benefit is not doubted. 

Where moss appears on the trunks of trees, it is easily removed 
by any alkali wash. Soap suds, or what is better, wood ashes, will 
both fertilize and cleanse. 

The crackiug of the fruit is occasioned by any suspension of the 
growth of the fruit, and a consequent hardening of the rind followed by 
a sudden flow of sap from any stimulating cause, as highly fertilizing 
a bearing grove, especially during Summer, or a wet spell following a 
dry. This cracking is more apt to follow the rains, if trees have been 
highly manured even in Winter. This can be prevented by keeping 
the ground well stirred during dry weather. The soil thus stirred, 
absorbs moisture and keeps the fruit growing. 



64 
CHAPTER XVII. 

GATHERING, PACKING AND SHIPPING THE ORANGE. 

In Europe these branches of the business belong to the merchant^ 
and are studied as an art. The merchant buys the fruit on the trees 
either in bulk or by the thousand, counting 1040 as an M. But in this 
country, and especially thus early in the history of orange growing, it 
is well for the grower to understand this part of his business so well 
that he can gather, pack and ship his own fruit without being left to 
the mercy of speculators, many of whom are concerned only so far as 
they may get the greater part of the profits. Ignorance of these 
things has already occasioned large annual loss both to the producer 
and buyer. The oranges from many groves have generally been 
pulled off, the rinds of many torn in gathering them from the tree 
and these oranges piled into a boat or cart and offered in bulk upon 
the streets or in the markets for sale. They have never been cured nor 
assorted. They are in no condition, to be shipped. They cannot be 
long kept in such condition. The huckster or buyer sees this, takes 
advantage of circumstances, sometimes combining with others of his 
class to put down the price, picks out the most indifferent fruit and 
offers for the whole a price based upon this inferior sample. So far 
as the producer is concerned the fruit is sacrificed, and esj^ecially if 
the market be full. The grower should never put himself at the 
mercy of such men, for even the tender mercies of such men are 
cruel. If the grower will so gather, assort and pack his fruit that it 
will keep for w-eeks or for months, as may be done, he need not be 
driven to such sacrifices. ' 

As the fruit of a grove begins to ripen, let the gardener pass 
through and taking tree by tree take from it all fruit that shows such 
defects as w'ill lead him to conclude that it will neyer come to perfec- 
tion. Let him gather all specked fruit. This can be done week after 
week, always selecting the ripest of such fruit. As such is the first to 
ripen there is always a market for it, and rightly managed, at a paying- 
price. If such fruit is allowed to remain on the free it will get no 
better, and its presence will damage the fruit which should remain 



^65 

longer on the tree. Before the better oranges begin to ripen the gar- 
dener should be well acquainted with the quality of the fruit of each 
tree so that he can classify them according to quality of flavor, from 
the acid to the sweet, from the dry to the juicy and various varieties. 
In gathering cut the stem, leaving half an inch of stem on the orange. 
Place the different varieties in heaps to themselves. Cover lightly 
with straw for three or four days, the longer time during cold weather 
and the shorter time during warm weather, that the oranges may 
sweat. After this time place them in latticed bins, holding from one to 
two hundred oranges each, to dry. In putting them into bins assort 
them with reference to size, color and perfection, so that the classi- 
fication may be complete. They can now be packed at leisure, for 
after they have been dried out without being bruised they will keep 
indefinitely. 

The boxes for packing should be of light material, neatly made, 
tolerably close and hooped. Dimensions 8x16x27 with partition in 
the middle. In making these one side should be left open. In pack- 
ing the open side should be turned up, and the box lined with sheets of 
paper laid on the bottom and resting against the side. Each orange 
should be wrapped separately in tissue paper containing as little oil as 
possible so that it will readily absorb and throw off moisture. The 
wrapper should be careful to reject every bruised or otherwise injured 
orange. The packer should be careful not to put different varieties in 
the same box. The buyer should know when he has tasted any orange 
from a box or brand that all others of the same brand or box are its 
equal. lu packing, the oranges should be placed closely together m 
layers, so that there can be no rolling or sliding of the fruit in the 
box. The last layer should project three-fourths of an inch above the 
sides of the box so that the top when nailed on should hold the layers 
firmly to their places, even after there has been some shrinkage of the 
fruit. This is all-important when the fruit is to be transported a con- 
siderable distance; and especially when transported by rail. The box 
should now be marked with the number of oranges and the brand of 
the fruit. 

In shipping, water transportation should be preferred to rail, 
especially during the first part of the trip, as such transportation is not 



66 

so apt to jar and rub the fruit as I'ail. When the producer knows a 
resjionsible merchant who will buy his fruit and sell it by retail, it is 
better for him to make the arrangement with him to furnish him 
oranges at a stipulated price for each brand throughout the season. It 
will lessen the expense of a commission to a third party; besides com- 
mission merchants as a class have not dealt fairly with the Florida 
fruit and vegetable grower. Bad packing, poor transportation and 
dishonest commission merchants have done more to keep back the 
progress of Floridi^ and discourage fruit and vegetable growing than 
^y other three causes combined. And of the three the dishonest 
commission merchant has made himself the largest but the lowest of 
these evils. There are some honorable exceptions, and such should be 
liberally patronized. But it is a vocation ottering such opportunities 
for rascality and such bribes for dishonesty, it would be well for the 
producer to be cautious as to whom he makes consignments. 

It is very much to be regretted tliat our mill men have been so 
sknv to furnish suitable matcriiil for orange boxes. A great neglect at 
this point has caused some of our largest and wisest shippers to buy 
the material for their boxes in Maine and ship it to Florida; one party 
ordering a schooner cargo at one time. There is no necessity for this 
if the mill men will do a duty even to themselves. We have in the 
State an abundance of timber of the very best for such pusposes. 
Cypress for heads, and gum, or still better, magnolia for sides would 
make a light, durable and elegant box. Here we have abundance of 
this kind of material, indeed thousands of sticks of the two latter are 
annually burned to get them out of the way of the planter; and yet we 
have to send more than a thousand fniles for planking to nuike a box 
for oranges.''' 

Transportation from Florida to the North and North-AVest is yet 
inadequate and the lines already in existence are badly managed; 
many of the officers on these lines have not done their duties to their 
employers and they have done much to discourage fruit and vege- 
table growing in Florida. This grave charge can be proven by a 
multitude of facts. A few should be mentioned to show something of 

♦Since -writing the above Penniman & Co., of Jacksonville, have put up the machinery 
necessary for making suitable boxing. 



67 

their general character. Some crates of strawberries to be packed in 
ice and destined for New York, were thrown upon deck after the 
manner of a traveller's trunk. Kemonstrance was made by the 
owner. "Got angel in dar?" was the ready reply of the deck hand, 
emphasizing his wit with an additional thump of the crate. The cap- 
tain of the boat laughed at the wit of the negro and left him to repeat 
his damage and wit on the next victim who should take the pains to 
grow fruit for such fun. About thirty-three per cent, of the melons 
which are shipped from the St. Johns to New York never reach their 
destination. There is no excuse for this. The. watermelon, well cared 
for and handled, will easily keep from six to ten days. A cargo of 
twenty thousand melons shipped from Fernandina to New York 
reached the latter port well cooked. Unfortunately it is not the 
fashion to eat cooked melons. What is needed for East Florida is, a 
direct line of steamers from Jacksonville to New York. Such a line 
would not only pay the owners, but double many times the products 
of Florida in a single year. If it were known that such a line would 
be established early next Spring, thousands of acres would be plante 
in strawberries, blackberries, cucumbers, squashes, tomatoes, indeed the 
whole catalogue of garden vegetables; while during the Summer such 
a line would be kept busy carrying melons, grapes, figs, pomegranates, 
guavas, peaches, &c., already grown and wasted for want of transporta- 
tion. The Winter would be an equally busy season with passengers, 
lemons and oranges. The boats of such a line would not come back 
empty but laden with such goods as we would be glad to get in 
exchange for our now wasted luxuries. That portion of the Great 
Southern Koad projected, and the road bed already far advanced 
between Jessup and Jacksonville, should be completed at once to Jack- 
sonville. AYest and Middle Florida should have direct communication 
v/ith the North-west. That beautiful, ri(;h and attractive country 
would in a few years become like the garden of the Lord. This is a 
seeming digression from orange culture, but it is pardonable, for while 
the orange is not so perishable as some other things needing transpor- 
tation, the increasing production is such as will demand in addition to 
semi-weekly lines of steamers from Fernandina ami Jacksonville to 
New York, a daily orange train from Florida to the North-west. 



68 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

CROPS THAT MAY BK GROWN AMONG THE ORANGE TREESii. 

The question is often asked, "how can I make a living while the 
orange trees are coming into bearing?" The answer is "just as you 
would make a living if you were doing nothing else but farming 
or gardening, or growing fruits that come in bearing sooner than the 
orauge. " If you are a city clerk and know nothing about hoeing, and 
plowing and chopping, you would find it rather tough for the first year 
or two, to make your bread in the valley of the Nile, or your meat 
and bread in the blue-grass region of Kentucky. In either case you 
would have to deny yourself, for a year or two, of "luxuries" dear to 
you, among the most valued of these otiuin cum dignatate. You would 
have to pull off your coat and go to work. You would have to 
consult the natives to learn practical and common sense, and you would 
be surprised at the profound depth of your ignorance of the means of 
making the bread you have been eating all your life. But knowledge, 
even this humlile knowledge, is good for the soul and the man. And 
you can learn, and even learn to love to work. The sweet sleep and 
refreshing rest under the soothing anodyne of labor would come without 
the learning. After awhile would come the noble independence of a free 
man. Try it, young man, try it! Come from the crowded city to the 
country! Come South, come to Florida! You will regret it for the 
first year or two, and apply hard names to your adviser, think him and 
his book a great humbug; but, if you have the virtue of continuance, 
you will after awhile bless him for the advice, and your children will 
bless you for your wisdom. But from this digression to the subject in 
hand. 

It has already been noticed that garden crops may be grown among 
the trees profitably to the laborer and the trees. Grapes and figs can 
be brought into bearing within three years from the cutting, and 
peaches in three years from the seed. Guavas can be grown under 
shade of ti-ees in the latitude of St. Augustine, and abundantly and 
profitably further South. Plums do better in Florida than anywhere 
I have ever seen them grow. The Japan and wild goose plum will 



69 

hear trausportatiou to Northern cities. Tliey are both excellent fruiti> 
and bring a good price. Sweet potatoes can be grown in young groves. 
But as they require deep cultivation and to be planted in ridges, the 
rows should not run too near the orange trees. Sugar cane can be 
planted profitably, but should never be planted among orange trees. 
The smaller varieties of indian corn can be profitably grown among the 
orange trees, both for bread and forage. It is better however to grow 
it for forage, as it is not so exliaustive to land when cut in a green state. 
Indeed the names of crops that may be grown profitably, if the land 
is kept rich, is legion; as our climate and soil will grow almost every- 
thing that can be grown in the temperate zone, as well as all the semi- 
tropical plants. Sheep and poultry can be raised with great profit in 
Florida. In almost every neighborhood sheep will find an excellent 
range in the j^iue forest. They should be i3enned at night in the grove. 
For this i:)urpose a movable pen of light boards four inches wide, the 
sections of twenty and sixteen feet in length, so that when sections are 
put together, they will be self-supporting, is a great convenience. The 
writer has one such which requires only a few moments to move, so 
that stock penned, can have fresh land on which to rest every night or 
two. It is a good way to fertilize a grove, if the pen is not allowed to 
remain too long in one place. A similar arrangement can be had for 
poultry, so that they can always be confined at the right spot. If too 
heavy to lift, they can be made to roll on wheels, made of sections of a 
round log. 



70 
CHAPTER XIX. 

OILS, PERFUMES, EXTRACTS, &C. FROM THE CITRUS. 

The subjects mentioned above need to be carefully considered by 
the orange growers of Florida. In Europe the manufacture of these 
products of the citrus is about equal in value to the exported fruit. 
Essential oil is distilled from the tender shoote, rinds of the fruit and 
leaves of the trees. The most delicate perfumes and oils are obtained 
from the flowers, especially from the flower of the wild orange. Mar- 
malade is made from the sour fruit. Citric acid and concentrated 
lemon juice from the lemon, while the citron yields that most 
delicate conserve, bearing the same name, for which we pay high 
prices. Many of these -delicate and truly valuble products of the 
orange can be prepared on the orange plantation at comparatively 
little cost. It Avould be better if some enterprising firm would locate 
at Jacksonville or some other orange center, and combine in one estab- 
lishment all these interests. There would be no difficulty in obtaining 
ample material for a large establishment, even thus early, in our 
orange growing. These materials — leaves, tender shoots, flowers, young 
fruit dropped, imperfect fruit and sour fruit would alone, if such an 
establishment were erected, pay for the cultivation of the grove and 
leave the fruit as a clear gain. 

Such a business could be a source of vast wealth to the firm which 
would engage in it with sufficient capital and skill. These articles 
manufactured from the citrus would be put in a durable form and 
made ready for exportation to any part of the world. With this 
profit added to the profit arising from the sale of the fruit, at one cent 
for the orange and a half a cent for the lemon, the citrus crop in 
Florida alone could, in a score of years, be made to exceed the value 
of the entire cotton crop grown in the South. Florida certainly has a 
bright future before her if her sons are wise enough to labor for that 
future. In her broad acres there is ample room, not only for her 
natural and adopted sons, but for the hundreds of thousands of their 
fellow citizens to whom these sous of Florida extend a hearty invita- 
tion to come and occupy with them these broad acres, this genial 
climate and this vast wealth, enough foj- all, and quite as good as can 
be found this side of Heaven. 



CHAPTER XX. 

CONCLUSION. 

To those who are thinking of engaging in this important branch of 
industry, I would say a feAV words in concluding. It is evident that 
Florida is destined to take the lead as a fruit-growing 8tate. Land is 
rapidly increasing in value. The sooner you buy the better. But be- 
fore purchasing, learn all you can of the different portions of the State. 
If possible travel over it with an eye to finding that section which will 
best suit you, so that after locating, you will never be made to regret 
your first choice. Each portion has its advantages. Middle Florida 
has fertile soils, and with its rolling lands, is perhaps, the most beautiful 
section of the State. The orange has received too little attention in 
Middle Florida. Those who have made the attempt, with proper care 
and protection, have grown fine oranges there. 

The country through which the St. Johns River flows, having at 
once one of the grandest streams in America, and with it ample facili- 
ties for transportation, has, as yet, attracted the most attention. The 
eastern shore of this river, especially, is admirably adapted to the cult- 
ure of the orange. Being protected from the severe north-westerly 
winds by this wide expanse of water, it is as little liable to the injuries 
of frost as counties one hundred miles further south. The counties in 
the lower portion of the State have gerierally fine lands, and grow the 
orange successfully. 

Having settled, plant your grove of one or more acres; let the 
size be determined by your means, never undertaking more than you 
can keep in the highest state of cultivation. As to choosing between 
the budded and seedling tree, decide as you wish fruit sooner or later. 
A budded grove would perhaps best suit a man well advanced in age. 
If^ however, the seedling is your choice, make yourself entirely satisfied 
as to the quality of the orange from which the seed were taken, and also 
the remoteness of the original tree from trees bearing fruit of poor 
quality. Better plant the seed yourself and wait, rather than have 
doubt on this point. Keep the land rich and thoroughly tilled. The 
best remedy for drouth, is to have the plow and cultivator or sweej) 



72^ 

continually going. It is a great mistake to plow only with respect to 
the grass. The intervals between cultivating should not be so great as 
to give the grass an opportunity for growing. Where the ground is 
frequently stirred there will be fewer insects, their eggs which are often 
deposited in the earth not being permitted to hatch. Examine your 
trees often and closely. If insects attack them treat at once. Study 
your soil, note what it is deficient in, and supply the deficiency. 

Your grove having come into bearing your toil is over and your 
fortune made. You can now have the pleasure of eating this most 
healthful of fruits of your own raising. An eminent physician has 
said that if each of his patients would eat an orange in the morning 
before breakfast, his practice would soon be gone. If France is sought 
by the invalid for the grape cure, Florida will be resorted to for the 
orange cure as well as for its unrivalled climate. 

Do not be afraid of glutting the mkrket with tlie orange; it can 
never be done. There are thousands of persons who have never seen 
an orange and many more who have to pay exhorbitant prices for 
them where they are rarely seen. If there is a supply the denuvnd 
will be Created. When Florida's oranges are counted by the hundred 
million, she will have adequate means for transporting them to the 
best markets and to all markets, without a doubt. The people of this 
country know very little about eating the orange. They have not yet 
acquired a taste for this queen of all fruits. 

If the orange growers of Europe find it profitable to send their 
indifierent fruit to us, after having to pay a tariff, (for Avhich we 
are indebted to General Sanford of this State), how much better can 
we afi'ord to sell at home, even for the same price. 

The above named gentleman, after his tour through the orange 
growing portions of Europe, states that they claim to be able tp raise 
the orange profitably when getting only one dollar per thousand; their 
average price nov>' being about three dollars per thousand. Is there 
any probability of the luscious Florida orange being reduced to this 
price, even if her market be restricted to the limits of America? But 
the day is not far distant when our oranges will be found on the tables 
of the rich in Europe in preference to the inferior fruit they now get 
there. 



7^ 

The orange grower should iioi be i-oiiteuted with his present 
knowledge. This is a progressive age; orange culture is in its infancy. 
If we would keep well posted we should stud\ our vocation no less 
diligently than others do theirs. The papers of the State have done 
much good in this direction, giving the successes and results of experi- 
ments of different men. Every orange grower should take the paper 
published in his own section; these papers should have a department 
devoted specially to fruit growers, who should make it a repository for 
mutual information. 

Finally, to be successful, rhe fruit grower must watch and work; 
but not always, for soon golden harvests may be had tor the gathering. 



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SUN AND PRESS JOB ROOMS, 

1877. 






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